Organization of Iranian American Communities
{{Short description|Anti-Iranian government advocacy group}}
{{Third-party|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Organization of Iranian American Communities
| logo = File:Organization of Iranian American Communities logo.png
| abbreviation = OIAC
| formation = {{Start date and age|2012}}
| headquarters = Washington, D.C., U.S.
| leader_title = Political Director
| leader_name = Majid Sadeghpour
| website = {{URL|http://www.oiac.org/}}
}}
The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) is an organization in the United States.
While the OIAC maintains a position of "nonpartisonship" in its mandate,{{cite web |url=https://oiac.org/welcome-to-oiac/ |website=OAIC.org |access-date=10 March 2025 |title=Welcome to OIAC }} critics of the organisation have accused it of being allied with the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, or the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which advocates the overthrow of the government of Iran.{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-iran-opposition/4303135.html|title=US Senators Pledge Help to Iranian Group Seeking End to Iran's Islamist Rule|last=Lipin|first=Michael|date=17 March 2018|website=VOA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217191816/https://www.voanews.com/a/us-iran-opposition/4303135.html|archive-date=17 December 2018|access-date=17 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2015/02/26/long-march-yellow/|title=Long March of the Yellow Jackets: How a One-Time Terrorist Group Prevailed on Capitol Hill|last1=Gharib|first1=Ali|last2=Clifton|first2=Eli|date=26 February 2015|website=The Intercept|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=31 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331140458/https://theintercept.com/2015/02/26/long-march-yellow/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/giuliani-to-speak-beside-leader-of-accused-iranian-cult|title=Giuliani to Speak Beside Leader of Accused Iranian 'Cult'|last=Ackerman|first=Spencer|date=19 September 2018|website=Daily Beast|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328100812/https://www.thedailybeast.com/giuliani-to-speak-beside-leader-of-accused-iranian-cult|url-status=live}}
History
OIAC is an Iranian-American organization dedicated to the promotion of a free and democratic Iran where human rights are celebrated, where different religious traditions are honored, and where every Iranian citizen feels safe and able to pursue their individual dreams and aspirations. The Organization of Iranian-American Communities-US was originally established in 1997. In 2012, Iranian-American interest groups from 40 states joined forces to collaborate and work toward a vision of bringing peaceful, democratic change to Iran. OIAC is now the largest organization of Iranian-Americans in the US and serves as a powerful Iranian-American advocacy group. OIAC recognizes that a peaceful, free Iran requires an alternate government rather than the religious fascism which now engulfs Iran today. OIAC works toward that goal by supporting the efforts of Iranians in Iran to reform their government and by showcasing Persian-American culture here in the United States. Majid Sadeghpour is currently the Political Director of the organization.{{cite news | title =Iran is at the heart of radical Islam | newspaper =thehill.com | date =20 January 2015 | url =https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/229948-iran-is-at-the-heart-of-radical-islam/ | access-date =1 February 2016 | archive-date =13 March 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160313092513/http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/229948-iran-is-at-the-heart-of-radical-islam | url-status =live }}
OIAC does not support a foreign war, nor does it support an appeasement policy towards Iran. More specifically, OIAC supports the 10-point plans by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} {{Cite web |title=Maryam Rajavi {{!}} President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) |url=https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=Maryam Rajavi |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213123811/https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/ |url-status=live }} for a democratic Iran that aligns with security for America and peace in the Middle East and beyond. OIAC works in collaboration with all Iranian-Americans and concerned citizens across the country to achieve its mission and vision. OIAC holds yearly protests outside the United Nations building against Iranian Presidents[https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2017-09-20/protesters-rally-against-iranian-president-at-un Protesters Rally Against Iranian President at United Nations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310233406/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2017-09-20/protesters-rally-against-iranian-president-at-un |date=2023-03-10 }} by REBECCA GIBIAN, Associated Press; 20 September 2017 and at times outside the White House "in solidarity with protesters in Iran".[https://wtop.com/white-house/2018/01/demonstrators-gather-wh-support-iranian-liberty-democracy/slide/1/ Demonstrators gather at White House to support Iranian ‘liberty, democracy’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310233411/https://wtop.com/white-house/2018/01/demonstrators-gather-wh-support-iranian-liberty-democracy/slide/1/ |date=2023-03-10 }}; By Dick Uliano, WTOP-FM, 6 January 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/the-foreign-policy-aftermath-of-the-iran-protests-in-tehran-and-washington/|title=The Foreign Policy Aftermath of the Iran Protests, in Tehran and Washington|first=Ellen|last=Laipson|date=January 9, 2018|access-date=September 9, 2024|archive-date=August 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806151014/https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/the-foreign-policy-aftermath-of-the-iran-protests-in-tehran-and-washington/|url-status=live}} According to Joanne Stocker, "the Organization of Iranian American Communities have played a crucial role in securing broad, bipartisan support in the United States for the opposition group by successfully portraying the group as a democratic, human rights-supporting alternative to the current regime."{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2019-08-13/ty-article/.premium/white-house-once-labeled-them-terrorists-now-it-calls-them-irans-next-government/0000017f-dc2a-db5a-a57f-dc6a244b0000|title=The White House Once Labeled Them Terrorists. Now They're Being Called Iran's Next Government|newspaper=Haaretz|access-date=2024-09-09|archive-date=2023-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104093744/http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2019-08-13/ty-article/.premium/white-house-once-labeled-them-terrorists-now-it-calls-them-irans-next-government/0000017f-dc2a-db5a-a57f-dc6a244b0000|url-status=live}} OIAC and its events have been targeted{{Cite news |title=U.S. court detains Calif. man charged with serving as agent of Iran, surveilling Americans |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/us-charges-two-men-with-serving-as-agents-of-iran-spying-on-americans-and-jewish-center/2018/08/20/e6d69252-a4bf-11e8-8fac-12e98c13528d_story.html |access-date=2018-11-28 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en |archive-date=2018-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129054410/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/us-charges-two-men-with-serving-as-agents-of-iran-spying-on-americans-and-jewish-center/2018/08/20/e6d69252-a4bf-11e8-8fac-12e98c13528d_story.html |url-status=live }} by Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies.{{Cite news |last=Lipin |first=Michael |title=US Judge Denies Bond to Iranian Man Accused of Spying for Tehran |language=en |work=VOA |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/Iranian-spy/4539059.html |access-date=2018-11-28 |archive-date=2018-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129100055/https://www.voanews.com/a/Iranian-spy/4539059.html |url-status=live }}
Leadership
OIAC is led by political director Majid Sadeghpour. OIAC has a 3 members on the board of directors,{{Cite web |last=OIAC |title=Board of Directors {{!}} OIAC US |url=https://oiac.org/board-of-directors/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=OIAC |date=22 October 2015 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523190545/https://oiac.org/board-of-directors/ |url-status=live }} 8 members on the board of advisors.,{{Cite web |last=OIAC |title=Board of Advisors {{!}} OIAC US |url=https://oiac.org/board-of-advisor/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=OIAC |date=17 June 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523185037/https://oiac.org/board-of-advisor/ |url-status=live }} and 7 members in the governing body.{{Cite web |last=OIAC |title=Governing Body {{!}} OIAC US |url=https://oiac.org/governing-body/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=OIAC |date=7 August 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523185037/https://oiac.org/governing-body/ |url-status=live }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.oiac.org/}}
{{People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran}}
{{Iran–United States relations}}
Category:Iranian-American organizations
Category:Iran–United States relations
Category:2012 establishments in Washington, D.C.