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National Iranian American Council
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC; Persian: شورای ملی ایرانیان آمریکا) is a lobby dedicated to the pursuit of what it describes as the interests of Iranians and Iranian Americans.
NIAC's first president, Trita Parsi, is the group's co-founder. As of 2018, the organization's president was Jamal Abdi. NIAC Action PAC is its affiliated political action committee and was formed in 2015.
NIAC has lobbied against the initiation of military conflicts by the United States against Iran and for an end to sanctions on Iran. It supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement between Iran and the United States in 2015 that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for Iran's pledge not to develop a nuclear weapon. NIAC's activities have been controversial, with various political figures and commentators, as well as some members of the Iranian diaspora, labeling it a front for the Iranian government. NIAC members dispute the accusations, citing their criticism of the Iranian government's human rights abuses.
NIAC was founded in 2002 by Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, and Farzin Illich to promote Iranian-American relations.
During the Obama administration, NIAC advocated for the Iran nuclear deal, along with J Street and the Arab American Institute. The deal stated that the US would ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran reducing its nuclear program. The Congressional publication, The Hill, cited the work of NIAC, J Street, and the Arms Control Association in support of the deal as one of the "Top lobbying victories of 2015."
In 2007, Arizona-based Iranian-American journalist Seid Hassan Daioleslam began publicly asserting that NIAC was lobbying for Iran. In response, Parsi and NIAC sued him for defamation. In 2012, Parsi's lawsuit was dismissed by the court on summary judgment. In 2015, NIAC was monetarily sanctioned by two circuit judges and a senior circuit judge in favour of Daioleslam.
NIAC criticized President Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, which restricted visas for travelers from 6 majority-Muslim countries, as biased and ineffective in fighting terrorism. They joined three other Iranian-American organizations in a lawsuit against the order. After Trump did not recertify the Iran nuclear deal, Parsi criticized the decision, stating that the IAEA had repeatedly verified that Iran had been following the deal. After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with extreme sanctions, Parsi stated that Trump was attempting to instigate war with Iran.
In May 2019, the U.S. Department of State stopped funding the Iran Disinformation Project, a group which had used the hashtag "#NIACLobbies4Mullahs". In July, members of the Iranian American community protested in front of the NIAC office in Washington DC and denounced it as "the representative of the corrupt and brutal Islamic Republic regime".
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National Iranian American Council
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC; Persian: شورای ملی ایرانیان آمریکا) is a lobby dedicated to the pursuit of what it describes as the interests of Iranians and Iranian Americans.
NIAC's first president, Trita Parsi, is the group's co-founder. As of 2018, the organization's president was Jamal Abdi. NIAC Action PAC is its affiliated political action committee and was formed in 2015.
NIAC has lobbied against the initiation of military conflicts by the United States against Iran and for an end to sanctions on Iran. It supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement between Iran and the United States in 2015 that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for Iran's pledge not to develop a nuclear weapon. NIAC's activities have been controversial, with various political figures and commentators, as well as some members of the Iranian diaspora, labeling it a front for the Iranian government. NIAC members dispute the accusations, citing their criticism of the Iranian government's human rights abuses.
NIAC was founded in 2002 by Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, and Farzin Illich to promote Iranian-American relations.
During the Obama administration, NIAC advocated for the Iran nuclear deal, along with J Street and the Arab American Institute. The deal stated that the US would ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran reducing its nuclear program. The Congressional publication, The Hill, cited the work of NIAC, J Street, and the Arms Control Association in support of the deal as one of the "Top lobbying victories of 2015."
In 2007, Arizona-based Iranian-American journalist Seid Hassan Daioleslam began publicly asserting that NIAC was lobbying for Iran. In response, Parsi and NIAC sued him for defamation. In 2012, Parsi's lawsuit was dismissed by the court on summary judgment. In 2015, NIAC was monetarily sanctioned by two circuit judges and a senior circuit judge in favour of Daioleslam.
NIAC criticized President Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, which restricted visas for travelers from 6 majority-Muslim countries, as biased and ineffective in fighting terrorism. They joined three other Iranian-American organizations in a lawsuit against the order. After Trump did not recertify the Iran nuclear deal, Parsi criticized the decision, stating that the IAEA had repeatedly verified that Iran had been following the deal. After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with extreme sanctions, Parsi stated that Trump was attempting to instigate war with Iran.
In May 2019, the U.S. Department of State stopped funding the Iran Disinformation Project, a group which had used the hashtag "#NIACLobbies4Mullahs". In July, members of the Iranian American community protested in front of the NIAC office in Washington DC and denounced it as "the representative of the corrupt and brutal Islamic Republic regime".