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National Iranian American Council

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National Iranian American Council
AbbreviationNIAC
FormationJanuary 2002; 24 years ago (2002-01)
FoundersTrita Parsi, Babak Talebi, Farzin Illich
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
President
Jamal Abdi
Websitewww.niacouncil.org

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) is an American 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.[1] NIAC Action PAC is its affiliated political action committee and was formed in 2015.[2]

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.[3][4] NIAC members dispute the accusations, citing their criticism of the Iranian government's human rights abuses.

History

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NIAC was founded in 2002 by Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, and Farzin Illich to promote Iranian-American relations.[5]

Obama administration

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During the Obama administration, NIAC advocated for the Iran nuclear deal, along with J Street and the Arab American Institute.[6] 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."[7]

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.[3] In 2015, NIAC was monetarily sanctioned by two circuit judges and a senior circuit judge in favour of Daioleslam.[8]

First Trump administration

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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.[9][10] They joined three other Iranian-American organizations in a lawsuit against the order.[11][12] 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.[13] After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with extreme sanctions, Parsi stated that Trump was attempting to instigate war with Iran.[14]

In 2019, the U.S. Department of State Global Engagement Center (GEC) provided funding to the Iran Disinformation Project, which organized social media campaigns alleging that journalists, activists, and others were supporting the Iranian government.[15][16] Their campaign against NIAC included promoting the hashtag #NIACLobbies4Mullahs.[17][16] After the Iran Disinformation Project was accused of harassment, GEC withdrew its funding[15][18] and Director Lea Gabrielle stated that the campaign against NIAC had not been approved by GEC.[16]

In July 2019, a group of Iranian Americans protested outside NIAC's office in Washington, D.C., saying that the organization represented the Iranian government rather than the Iranian people.[19][20]

A sign criticizing the NIAC at a Woman Life Freedom protest in Ottawa, December 2022.

In January 2020, Republican senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Mike Braun stated that NIAC and its sister organization NIAC Action violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and requested US Attorney-General William Barr investigate.[21] The US government has not publicly taken any such action against NIAC.[22]

Biden administration

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The 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran exacerbated tensions between NIAC and its critics.[23][24] Some activists criticized NIAC's statements in support of the protests as insincere and accused NIAC of supporting policies beneficial to the Iranian government.[24][25][26]

Funding

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NIAC has a 100% rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency by Guidestar.[27][28] NIAC has over 8,000 donors including Iranian-American individuals and American foundations and does not receive funds from the Iranian government nor the United States government.[29][30][31]

Policy positions

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Sanctions on Iran

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NIAC takes a negative view of broad economic sanctions against Iran, considering them counterproductive because their impact on Iranian citizens' financial security hinders efforts to organize against the Iranian government. Instead, NIAC advocates for targeted sanctions of specific Iranian government officials.[32][33] A 2014 NIAC report concluded that U.S. sanctions on Iran cost the U.S. economy between $135 billion and $175 billion in lost export revenue between 1995 and 2012. A US Treasury Department spokesperson stated that this accounted for 1% of the US economy and was worthwhile to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons.[34] The organization led campaigns to lift sanctions that blocked humanitarian organizations from providing disaster relief to Iranians, and helped remove sanctions on online communication tools like Facebook and YouTube.[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Trita Parsi. "Important Announcement on NIAC's Next Chapter". Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Iranian-Americans set up lobbying arm to counter pro-Israel groups". POLITICO. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 Josh Gerstein (13 September 2012). "Iranian-American group, leader lose libel case against writer". Politico. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  4. ↑ The Jerusalem Post (15 January 2020). "Senators call to investigate pro-Iran group - report". Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  5. ↑ NIAC Staff. "Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  6. ↑ Stoil, Rebecca Shimoni (29 June 2015). "Iranian Americans set up pro-nuke deal lobby". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  7. ↑ Dickson, Rebecca (16 December 2015). "Top lobbying victories of 2015". The Hill. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "America's most prominent group advocating engagement with Iran was hit with a rough court decision". BusinessInsider.com. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  9. ↑ ""Shameful:" Iranian voices slam Trump's reported visa ban". NBC News. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (30 June 2017). "Iran foreign minister: 'shameful' travel ban targets 'Iranian grandmothers'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Hsu, Spencer S. (18 April 2017). "Iranian-American groups testify in Washington seeking new ban on Trump travel order". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Hananel, Sam (21 April 2017). "Judge seems reluctant to issue another travel ban injunction". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Trump puts burden of scrapping Iran deal on US Congress". Al Jazeera. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Pompeo threatens Iran with 'strongest sanctions in history'". Politico. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  15. 1 2 Borger, Julian (31 May 2019). "US cuts funds for 'anti-propaganda' Iran group that trolled activists". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 "The Tiny U.S. Agency Fighting Covid-19 Conspiracy Theories". Bloomberg Law. 14 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Siamdoust, Nahid (11 July 2026). "Spreading Static". The New York Review of Books. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "'I receive death threats': The online harassment plaguing diaspora Iranians". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  19. ↑ Radio Farda. "Protest Gathering Held Outside National Iranian American Council". Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  20. ↑ "Iranian singer Kamyar cancels performance with NIAC due to its lobbying". Al Arabiya English. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Jerusalem Post (15 January 2020). "Senators call to investigate pro-Iran group - report". Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "US probes NIAC founder Trita Parsi for possible deportation - Free Press". Iran International. 11 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  23. ↑ Razavi, Sahar (11 January 2024). "Discord in the Diaspora: Agonism in the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement for Democracy". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 4 (55).
  24. 1 2 "Iranian diaspora's divisions burst into open during Halifax forum". POLITICO. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Iran rights activists spurn Iranian-American group NIAC as regime 'lobby'". Al Arabiya English. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Iran's fractious diaspora prepares for Mahsa Amini anniversary protests". Middle East Eye. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  27. ↑ "Charity Navigator - Rating for National Iranian American Council". www.charitynavigator.org. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  28. ↑ "National Iranian American Council - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  29. ↑ Suozzo, Andrea; Glassford, Alec; Ngu, Ash; ProPublica; Roberts, Brandon (9 May 2013). "National Iranian American Council - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  30. ↑ "National Iranian American Council (NIAC) | Devex". www.devex.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  31. ↑ "National Iranian American Council". Proteus Fund. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  32. ↑ Toosi, Nahal (19 November 2022). "Iranian diaspora's divisions burst into open during Halifax forum". Politico. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  33. ↑ Gladstone, Rick (11 September 2013). "U.S. Eases Sanctions to Allow Good-Will Exchanges With Iran". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  34. ↑ "Sanctions on Iran cost the U.S. as much as $175 billion, study says". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  35. ↑ Nissenbaum, Dion; Sparshott, Jeffrey (30 May 2013). "U.S. Eases Tech Exports to Help Iranian Dissenters". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
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