National Iranian American Council

NIAC was founded in 2002 by Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, and Farzin Illich to promote Iranian-American relations.{{cite web |url=http://www.niacouncil.org/about-niac/frequently-asked-questions/ |title=Frequently Asked Questions |author=NIAC Staff |access-date=22 July 2016}} In 1999, Parsi co-authored a paper named "Iran-Americans: The bridge between two nations" which explained need of an organization like NIAC.{{Cite journal |last1=Namazi |first1= Siamak |last2= Parsi |first2= Trita |date= 1999 |title= Iran-Americans: The bridge between two nations |url= https://iraniansforum.com/Document/iranamericans.pdf |journal= DAPIA Conference}}

In 2007, Arizona-based Iranian-American journalist Seid Hassan Daioleslam began publicly asserting that NIAC was lobbying on behalf of Iran. In response, NIAC sued him for defamation. In 2012, it was dismissed by the court on the grounds of not having significant evidences that would constitute defamation.{{cite web |date=2015-03-05 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA |url=https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2008cv0705-189 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207145157/https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2008cv0705-189 |archive-date=7 December 2018 |access-date=2019-12-17 |publisher=uscourts.gov}} As part of his decision, Judge Bates concluded that NIAC's president work was "not inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost an advocate for the regime." The judge came to the conclusion that it is reasonable to rationally assert that NIAC is lobbying on behalf of the Iranian government. In addition, the judge also concluded, "Nothing in this opinion should be construed as a finding that defendant’s articles were true." In 2015, NIAC was monetary sanctioned by two circuit judges and a senior circuit judge, in favor of Daioleslam.{{Cite news |date=2015-03-05 |title=America's most prominent group advocating engagement with Iran was hit with a rough court decision |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/americas-most-prominent-group-advocating-engagement-with-iran-was-hit-with-a-rough-court-decision-2015-3 |access-date=2019-12-17 |work=BusinessInsider.com}}

As a result of the lawsuits, many internal documents were released, which former Washington Times correspondent Eli Lake stated "raise questions" about whether the organization had violated U.S. lobbying regulations.{{cite news |title=Iran advocacy group said to skirt lobby rules |author=Eli Lake |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=13 November 2009 |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/13/exclusive-did-iranian-advocacy-group-violate-laws//print/ }} Andrew Sullivan responded to the story in The Atlantic, suggesting the motive of the story was to "smear" Parsi's reputation.{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Sullivan |title='Send It To Lake Right Away!' |magazine=The Daily Dish |publisher=Atlantic Media |date=November 16, 2009 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2009/11/-send-it-to-lake-right-away/193982/ |access-date=August 10, 2016}}

A March 2015 column by Eli Lake in Bloomberg View asserted that the emails showed cooperation between Parsi and the then Iran ambassador to the United Nations and current Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-03-31/iran-s-charmer-in-chief-wins-again|title=Iran's Charmer in Chief Wins Again|date=2015-03-31|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-01-17}} NIAC's webpage confirms "that Parsi developed a relationship with Zarif after interviewing him on "numerous occasions for his book." It states that Parsi made introductions for members of the U.S. Congress to meet with Zarif at the request of the lawmakers.{{Cite web|date=2015-04-26|title=Myths vs. Facts, Continued - NIAC|url=https://www.niacouncil.org/myths-vs-facts-continued/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426115311/https://www.niacouncil.org/myths-vs-facts-continued/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-04-26|access-date=2020-10-19}} According to The Washington Time's article, "Law enforcement experts who reviewed some of the documents, which were made available to The Times by the defendant in the suit, say e-mails between Mr. Parsi and Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations at the time, Javad Zarif - and an internal review of the Lobbying Disclosure Act - offer evidence that the group has operated as an undeclared lobby and may be guilty of violating tax laws, the Foreign Agents Registration Act and lobbying disclosure laws."

During the Obama administration, NIAC reached the height of its influence as it advocated in support of the Iran nuclear deal. The Congressional publication, The Hill, cited NIAC's work in support of the Iran nuclear accord as one of the "Top lobbying victories of 2015."{{Cite web |last=Dickson |first=Rebecca |date=2015-12-16 |title=Top lobbying victories of 2015. Because of the negligence that NIAC caused,Islamic Republic has access to 60% enriched uranium. Considering the history of this government's support of terrorist groups, the risk of making an atomic bomb by this regime with the support of NIAC is very high. |url=https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/263354-lobbying-victories-of-2015/ |access-date=2016-08-04 |website=The Hill}}

File:Iran solidairty protests 22 October 2022 in Berlin 20.jpg in Berlin on 22 October 2022 has written "NIAC IS NOT OUR VOICE" on it.|393x393px]]

In July 2019, NIAC was the target of sustained protests from members of the Iranian community with demonstrations in front of the NIAC office in Washington DC. They viewed NIAC as "the representative of the corrupt and brutal Islamic Republic regime" and not the voice of the Iranian-Americans.{{cite web |url=https://en.radiofarda.com/a/protest-gathering-held-outside-national-iranian-american-council/30066132.html |title=Protest Gathering Held Outside National Iranian American Council |author=Radio Farda |access-date=9 July 2019}}

Iranians who were protesting for regime change believe that NIAC has not joined the Women, Life, Freedom Movement and is still looking for a way to reform by trying to reestablish the JCPOA deal.{{cite news |last1=Toosi |first1=Nahal |title=Iranian diaspora's divisions burst into open during Halifax forum |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/19/iranian-diasporas-divisions-halifax-forum-00069591 |access-date=21 June 2023 |work=Politico |date=19 November 2022}}

It was also revealed in 2019 that the U.S. Department of State funded a group which attacked NIAC with the hashtag "#NIACLobbies4Mullahs".{{Cite news |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=2019-05-31 |title=US cuts funds for 'anti-propaganda' Iran group that trolled activists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/31/us-cuts-funds-for-anti-propaganda-group-that-trolled-activists |access-date=2024-01-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In January 2020, senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Mike Braun claimed that NIAC and its sister organization NIAC Action have violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and they are "amplifying regime propaganda in the United States". They requested the US Attorney-General William Barr to "evaluate whether an investigation of NIAC is warranted for potential FARA violations and to ensure transparency regarding foreign attempts to influence the US political process."{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Senators-call-to-investigate-pro-Iran-group-report-614191 |title=Senators call to investigate pro-Iran group - report |author= Jerusalem Post |date=15 January 2020 |access-date=15 January 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/world-51115366 |title=سه سناتور خواستار تحقیق درباره گروه ایرانی آمریکایی نایاک شدند |author= BBC |newspaper=BBC News فارسی |access-date=15 January 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://p.dw.com/p/3WDxJ |title=نامه سه سناتور به دادگستری آمریکا برای بررسی پرونده "نایاک" |author= Deutsche Welle |access-date=15 January 2020}}

In 2022, Holly Dagres stated that "NIAC has become a slur that is synonymous with regime lobby/apologist to the point that Iranians inside Iran use it".[https://twitter.com/hdagres/status/1581774217758269440 Tweet by Holly Dagres] (October 16, 2023): "A point about NIAC being called out: NIAC has become a slur that is synonymous with regime lobby/apologist to the point that Iranians inside Iran use it (hence the tweet you pointed out). I get called NIAC and I don’t get offended by it because I know my work speaks for itself."

In 2023, journalist Emily Schrader claimed her criticism of NIAC as one of the "foreign lobbying mouthpieces of the Islamic Republic" led to death threats and antisemitic comments.{{Cite news |last=Schrader |first=Emily |date=2023-03-19 |title=How I became a target of the Islamic Republic of Iran |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rybfmn7eh |access-date=2024-10-09 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}

NIAC has a 100% rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency by Guidestar.{{Cite web |title=Charity Navigator - Rating for National Iranian American Council |url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/731626026 |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=www.charitynavigator.org}}{{Cite web |title= National Iranian American Council - GuideStar Profile |url= https://www.guidestar.org/profile/73-1626026 |access-date=2024-01-20 |website= www.guidestar.org}} 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.{{Cite web |first1= Andrea |last1= Suozzo |first2= Alec |last2= Glassford |first3= Ash |last3= Ngu |last4= ProPublica |first5= Brandon |last5= Roberts |date= 2013-05-09 |title=National Iranian American Council - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/731626026 |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=National Iranian American Council (NIAC) {{!}} Devex |url=https://www.devex.com/organizations/national-iranian-american-council-niac-95858 |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=www.devex.com}}{{Cite web |title=National Iranian American Council |url=https://www.proteusfund.org/grant/nationaliranianamericancouncil/ |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=Proteus Fund |language=en-US}} Their funders have included the Namazi family who funded NIAC while it pursued policies which would financially benefit the family.{{Cite news |last=Shirazi |first=Alex |date=2015-09-15 |title=The Shady Family Behind America's Iran Lobby |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/15/the-shady-family-behind-america-s-iran-lobby |access-date=2024-01-20 |work=The Daily Beast |language=en}}

NIAC has been described the Islamic Republic's lobby in Washington, DC.https://twitter.com/emilykschrader/status/1579242702486401024 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

A 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.{{Cite news |title=Sanctions on Iran cost the U.S. as much as $175 billion, study says |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/07/16/sanctions-on-iran-cost-the-u-s-as-much-as-175-billion-study-says/ |access-date=2016-08-04 |newspaper=Washington Post}}

NIAC takes a negative view of economic sanctions against Iran and has opposed many proposals to sanction Iran and urged the repeal of sanctions it calls counterproductive.{{Cite news |last=Gladstone |first=Rick |date=2013-09-11 |title=U.S. Eases Sanctions to Allow Good-Will Exchanges With Iran |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/world/middleeast/us-eases-sanctions-to-allow-good-will-exchanges-with-iran.html |access-date=2024-01-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} 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.{{Cite news |last1= Nissenbaum |first1= Dion |last2= Sparshott |first2= Jeffrey |date= 2013-05-30 |title=U.S. Eases Tech Exports to Help Iranian Dissenters |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324412604578515553175176068.html |access-date=2024-01-17 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}

In 2015, the organization supported a Congressional letter (Dent-Price), which was signed by 131 Representatives, advocated for giving negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue a chance after the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.{{Cite news |last=Steven |first=Nelson |date=19 July 2013 |title='Unprecedented' 131 Congressmen Say Obama Should Give Iran's New President a Chance |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/07/19/unprecedented-128-congressmen-say-obama-should-give-irans-new-president-a-chance |access-date=4 August 2016 |work= |via=}}

Negar Mortazavi is a former employee of NIAC.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105321/https://www.niacouncil.org/niac-welcomes-new-media-and-communications-staff/ NIAC Welcomes New Media and Communications Staff | NIAC] Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor in the Obama administration, was a keynote speaker at one of NIAC's events.{{Cite web |title=In All But Name: The Iranian Regime's (De Facto) Lobby In The West |url=https://www.hoover.org/research/all-name-iranian-regimes-de-facto-lobby-west |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=Hoover Institution |language=en}}

• AIPAC
• Quincy Institute
• Iran–United States relations

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Official website|http://www.niacouncil.org|National Iranian American Council (NIAC) Website}}
• [http://www.niacaction.org NIAC Action] Website of NIAC's sister advocacy organization
• [http://www.tritaparsi.com tritaparsi.com] Trita Parsi's website

{{Iran–United States relations}}

Category:Iranian-American culture in Washington, D.C.

Category:Iranian-American organizations

Category:Iran–United States relations

Category:Foreign policy political advocacy groups in the United States

Category:501(c)(3) organizations

Category:2002 establishments in Washington, D.C.