President's Message
Dear John,
Tonight is the first Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and we will be watching very closely. As Ryan lays out in his piece [[link removed]] today, this is a chance for Harris to call out not just Trump's assault on democracy and civil rights at home, but to call out his disastrous militarism abroad and show that she can turn the page on Biden's own failed and immoral Middle East policies.
However, just as many who supported Biden in 2020 refused to support him again amidst his enablement of genocide and failure to change course on Iran, the initial hope that Kamala Harris will bring that change is at risk of evaporating. In our new Presidential Member Survey, we found that our members are more supportive of Harris than they were of Biden earlier this year, but half as likely to vote for her as they were to vote for Biden in 2020.
Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our civil rights and basic rule of law here at home. His manically hawkish track record on Iran, Israel, and the Middle East should belie hopes that, this time around, he would be a deal maker rather than a war monger. But there is only one real prospect of keeping Trump out of the White House, and arguments of voting for "the lesser of two evils" are going to fall flat if war and genocide are on both sides of the ballot.
[link removed] [[link removed]] Read the full results of our Presidential Member Survey here >> [[link removed]]
- Jamal Abdi
Building Political Power
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What Harris and Trump should say about Iran [[link removed]]
Responsible Statecraft
By Ryan Costello, NIAC Policy Director
This failure to break from Trump’s Iran policy and instead act as its steward has allowed Trump to attack Biden, and now Kamala Harris, as too soft on Iran. Under Trump’s false portrayal of events, his exit from the nuclear deal and the snapback of sanctions made Iran go “ broke [[link removed]] ,” depriving it of funds that it could have instead used for terrorism. He suggests Biden then eased the sanctions [[link removed]] , allowing groups like Hamas to plan and then execute the October 7 attacks and risking a broader war. It might be a compelling tale, but it is total fiction.
Harris shouldn’t try to out-hawk Trump on Iran. Unfortunately, there have been some worrying signs that this could be the plan. Recently, a Harris campaign social media account criticized Trump for suggesting he might lift sanctions on Iran [[link removed]] , even though Harris — along with Biden, Walz and a majority of Democrats — rightly opposed his decision to exit the nuclear deal and impose maximum pressure sanctions on Iran in 2018.
Shifting from an accurate portrayal of Trump’s Iran policies to instead attacking him for not being hawkish enough risks further alienating the anti-war wing of the Democratic Party and independents who want to vote for a pro-peace candidate. Instead, Harris should go after Trump’s terrible approach toward Iran which sowed the seeds of the conflict the Biden-Harris administration is still dealing with today. There are plenty of indisputable facts that she can utilize to point out Trump’s failure on Iran.
>> Read the full article in Responsible Statecraft here [[link removed]]
>> Volunteer to #BeshkanTheVote and help us organize Iranian Americans to turn out and vote this November— sign up here [[link removed]] to bring meaningful, positive change to our community!
BREAKING: Congress Voting to Monitor Land Purchases of Iranian Green Card and Visa Holders
[[link removed]] Since last year, a number of legislators at the state and federal levels have put forward legislation aimed at denying the right to purchase property on the basis of national origin. While we have helped prevent Congress from imposing these bans at the federal level, hawks in the House of Representatives have a new plan to impose discriminatory burdens on our community.
NIAC Action is opposing H.R. 9456 [[link removed]] which is to receive a vote in the House this week . The bill would require the federal government to monitor and report on all purchases of agricultural land by Iranian green card holders, visa holders, and refugees. In so doing, it treats, and potentially sets the stage for further restrictions aimed at denying the right to purchase property on wholly discriminatory grounds.
You can contact your member of congress here [[link removed]] urging them to reject the bill before it is voted on later this week.
Demand your member of congress vote no on h.r.9456 [[link removed]]
Learn More
>> We’ve created a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource [[link removed]] to explain the origins and impact of these modern "Alien Land Laws" on Iranian Americans.
>> After more than a year of NIAC advocacy, the Treasury Department has proposed a solution to addresses legitimate national security interests without violating civil rights. Learn more in NIAC’s public comment [[link removed]] on the proposal.
NIAC Statement on Iranian Government's Alleged Provision of Ballistic Missiles to Russia [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] “No nation should be sending weapons to a belligerent state engaged in an illegal war and mass rights violations against ordinary citizens. This is true for the U.S. government arming Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, and it is true of the Iranian government’s alleged provision of ballistic missiles for Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
“Iran, which often notes how the world turned a blind eye as Saddam rained missiles on Iranian cities, is now accused of sending Russia missiles as it continues its invasion of Ukraine and uses its weaponry to deadly effect against ordinary civilians. If true, it is a direct step against the interests of peace and stability that should be condemned. It would also likely make de-escalation and diplomacy with the West, which Iran’s new President has declared he seeks, much more difficult.
“More broadly, deepening military cooperation between Russia and Iran in recent years is an unfortunate and predictable consequence of the Trump administration’s decision to snap back sanctions on Iran and scuttle hard-fought efforts to improve ties with the West, and the Biden administration’s failure to restore the accord. We scuttle diplomatic solutions to problems like these at our own peril. More sanctions for deepening Russia-Iran military ties will not not seriously punish either nation’s leaders, as each nation is already deeply sanctioned. But some of the consequences being discussed – like cutting off travel to and from Europe for Iran Air – risk having serious consequences for ordinary Iranians and others in the diaspora. The U.S. and Europe must make a break from the dead end policies of escalation and isolation, and find a way to de-escalate across the board with Iran. ”
Treasury Proposes New Rule to Address Banking Discrimination [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] NIAC has made progress in protecting Iranian Americans from discriminatory banking practices by working with the Treasury Department. In July 2024, the Treasury and FinCEN proposed a rule to modernize Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Finance of Terrorism (CFT) programs, which have contributed to the de-risking of Iranian Americans. While this is a step forward, more work is needed.
>> Read NIAC’s full public comment on how the Treasury can further address this issue. [[link removed]]
Implementation Plan Proposed for Census MENA Category [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] NIAC is leading the push for the inclusion of a MENA category and an Iranian subcategory in the 2030 U.S. Census. In March 2024, the Census officially adopted these categories, but proper implementation is the next crucial step. The American Community Survey has proposed a plan, with a 2027 deadline, to begin testing data collection methods.
>> Read NIAC’s full public comment for more details on our work and feedback on the implementation plan. [[link removed]]
Human Rights Tracker
Jamal Ameli: The Poet of the Green Movement Behind Bars Once Again [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Jamal Ameli, a celebrated poet and political activist linked to Iran’s 2009 Green Movement, finds himself behind bars once again. This past March of 2024, Ameli was summoned to Evin Prison to begin serving his new sentence.
Ameli had submitted a request for electronic monitoring instead of a prison sentence given that he also suffers from an autoimmune disease, but was denied. Since his incarceration, he has been further denied medical leave and necessary treatment, which has only worsened his health status. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) confirmed that Ameli’s health has deteriorated and raised significant concern among his family and supporters.
>> Read the full article on our website [[link removed]]
Learn More
>> Visit our catalog of human rights trackers [[link removed]]
>> 📥 Subscribe to receive the Human Rights Tracker in your inbox [[link removed]]
Iran Unfiltered
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Week of September 2, 2024 [[link removed]] | Iran Unfiltered is a digest tracking Iranian politics & society by the National Iranian American Council
>> 📥 Subscribe to receive Iran Unfiltered in your inbox weekly [[link removed]]
Community & Culture
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NIAC headquarters and our grassroots volunteers have been working tirelessly to advocate for a ceasefire in Palestine, no regional war with Iran, UNRWA funding, conditions on U.S. weapons, human rights and the civil rights of Iranian Americans and all immigrant communities.
Throughout the month of August, local NIAC Chapters met with lawmaker offices as they returned home from Washington during August recess.
Our volunteers have met with 20 Congressional offices so far and are planning more through September and October! Join us for the next round of meetings!
sign up for a congressional lobby meeting [[link removed]]
Stay Engaged
Follow NIAC on TikTok [[link removed]] , Instagram [[link removed]] , Facebook [[link removed]] , Youtube [[link removed]] , and X [[link removed]] for the latest updates.
Support Our Work
Your continued support is crucial. Donate today to help us make a difference. [[link removed]]
Thank you for standing with us as we navigate these challenging times and strive for peace, justice, and human rights.
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