President's Message
Dear John,
The war in Gaza rages on after a brief 8-day ceasefire, and we are redoubling our efforts to demand a permanent ceasefire and press for peace. At the same time, the horrors of a war that has killed over 6,000 children with little objection from our government has once again laid bare the profane levels of political money and power held by the "Israel lobby" and pro-war interests in Washington.
This political infrastructure that provides endless support for war and the persecution of ordinary people throughout the region is what we stand up against every single day – not just in foreign policy, but in the domestic challenges to our civil rights that are often the byproduct of these hawkish, racist foreign policies. This infrastructure is part of the feedback loop that empowers authoritarians and radical ideologues in the region, including in Iran, who depend on violence and conflict to keep their grip on power.
We are continuing to organize with allies to build pressure to bring this latest war to an end and prevent a broader regional war from exploding. We are looking closely at the U.S. domestic political landscape for 2024 and how our community and organizations can continue to build a political infrastructure that supports peace and the unflinching champions who are raising their voices against war despite political threats.
As we continue to organize with allies to build pressure to bring this latest war to an end and prevent a broader regional war from exploding, we are looking closely at the U.S. domestic political landscape for 2024 and how our community and organizations can continue to build our own political infrastructure that supports peace and the unflinching champions who are raising their voices against war despite political threats.
Please read on to learn more about some of our work from the past several weeks , and stay tuned for more news and updates about how we are not just standing up to the immediate threats and injustices, but building strategically for the long term to have a more powerful infrastructure for peace and justice.
Jamal Abdi, President National Iranian American Council[[link removed]] Donate to support our work [[link removed]]Together, we will move forward. R
Supporting a Ceasefire
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The crisis in Gaza continues to horrify the world - 1.7 million Palestinians displaced, 15,000 civilians killed including over 6,000 children, and the risk of an all out regional war is growing.
Our team has been working around the clock meeting lawmakers, mobilizing grassroots volunteers, and ramping up pressure in support of a permanent ceasefire. Sixty members of Congress have spoken out in support of a ceasefire so far - up from seventeen just two weeks ago. Learn more about how you can take action – from meeting with your lawmakers to attending events – in support of peace at our ceasefire hub: niacouncil.org/ceasefire. [[link removed]]
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World Bank Outlines the Impact of Sanctions on Iran
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The World Bank published an important report this month detailing a “lost decade of economic growth for Iran” that pushed millions of Iranian citizens into poverty and economic precarity.
The central takeaway is that the sanctions are directly correlated to hyperinflation, the soaring cost of living, millions more Iranians falling into poverty, and the increasing urban-rural economic divides.
Read our full summary of the report here [[link removed]]
Human Rights Tracker
NIAC’s Human Rights Tracker is a weekly newsletter monitoring the latest human rights stories out of Iran. 📥 Subscribe to receive our Human Rights Tracker in your inbox > [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Ahmadreza Haeri [[link removed]] , a prominent civil activist and political prisoner, is once again imprisoned and serving a multi-year sentence. Haeri's latest legal conflict started with his arrest on June 27, 2022. He was later sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. The charges were particularly influenced by a letter he sent to the UN Special Rapporteur, Alena Douhan which highlighted the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures (sanctions) on human rights.
[link removed] [[link removed]] NIAC condemns the secret execution of 21-year-old Milad Zohrevand [[link removed]] by Iranian authorities, part of a broader trend of sham trials and executions targeting young Iranians who bravely protest for fundamental change and freedom.
[link removed] [[link removed]] NIAC condemns the execution of Hamidreza Azari, a 17-year-old, by Iranian authorities. The execution of children is a blatant violation of international law.
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Seventeen year-old Armita Geravand [[link removed]] died on Sunday, October 28, twenty-eight days after sustaining a head injury that many believe came at the hands of the Islamic Republic’s “morality police” in Tehran’s Shahid Square Metro station while young Armita was on her way to school.
[[link removed]] Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi [[link removed]] , who have been held in custody for an entire year, have now been “convicted” by the Revolutionary Court. After covering the tragic events surrounding the passing and burial of Mahsa Amini, these two journalists were seized and silenced for simply reporting the truth.
📥 [[link removed]] Subscribe to receive our Human Rights Tracker in your inbox > [[link removed]]
Iran Unfiltered
[link removed] [[link removed]] Iran Unfiltered is a digest tracking Iranian politics & society by the National Iranian American Council - here are stories from our latest edition. 📥 Subscribe to receive Iran Unfiltered in your inbox > [[link removed]]
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Thank you for your continued support, which enables us to make a difference. Stay tuned to our emails and social media channels for updates on future panels, actions, and opportunities to get involved.
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