In this issue of NIAC's newsletter, we look at Trump's veto of the war powers resolution, our new virtual event series, and the launch of our new podcast, NIACast!
An email from NIAC
 
 Advancing Peace & Diplomacy 
 
 
Trump Vetos War Powers Resolution, Senate Fails to Override
 
Last week, President Trump made the dangerous decision to veto the bipartisan war powers resolution that would have required any war with Iran be authorized by Congress. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to override Trump's veto. Despite the setback, NIAC will continue urging Congress to again pass language in the defense bill clarifying that the President does not have the authority for war with Iran. “History will remember those Senators and Representatives who stood with the Constitution and the American people," said NIAC President Jamal Abdi in response to the latest developments. 
 
An Update on the Coronavirus Crisis
 

 
Today's global health crisis has tested the world in ways we could have never imagined. And as Iranian Americans, we find ourselves navigating a crisis here in the United States, while also watching U.S. sanctions harm Iranians abroad.
 
We have doubled down on our efforts to urge the Trump administration to suspend the inhumane sanctions on Iran, including by helping to build a coalition of humanitarian, peacebuilding, human rights, and civil society organizations dedicated to advocating for a humane response to sanctions during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
NIAC is also pushing our own government to prioritize the well being, health, and safety of all Americans. Just last week, we joined 50 organizations urging Congress not to provide additional money to the Pentagon in this fiscal year, especially as it has already received billions in COVID-19 response funding. We've also called for restricting ICE’s activities that have led to the spread the virus and endangered innocent people, and advocated that immigrant families be included in any effective stimulus efforts.  
 
We will continue to advocate not only for the sanctions relief needed to help Iran, but also a federal spending strategy that is better aligned with our national priorities--including those of our community. 

 Community & Culture 

 
 
As a way of supporting our members, friends, and allies during these social distancing times, NIAC is proud to offer a series of virtual events as just one more way to stay connected. We've listened to your feedback and concerns and will continue to offer programs to address our community's needs. Can't make an event? No problem! We'll be recording and posting them for everyone to enjoy. Check out the recordings of our most recent events below.  
 
 
On May 9th, NIAC hosted a medical panel on COVID-19 pandemic. Joined by Drs. Kamran Tabaddor, Javad Aman, Ashkan Emadi, and Farin Kamandar, the discussion examined how the virus is transmitted, how you can protect yourself and your loved ones, and what you should do if you display symptoms. 
 
 
 
On May 7th, award winning Iranian-American author Melody Moezzi and former NIAC board chair and psychologist Dr. Shokooh Miry joined Communications Director Mana Mostatabi to explore how today’s crisis impacts our shared human experience—and ways we can begin to heal as we navigate an evolving world. 
 
On April 23rd, NIAC Action was joined by Sanam Anderlini, the Director of the Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics and Political Science and NIAC Action endorsee, Congressman Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the impact of Iran sanctions and implications for human rights and peacebuilding.
 

 Spotlighting Human Rights in Iran 

 
A popular Iranian Instagram couple chooses self-exile to avoid prison in Iran. Ahmad Moin-Shirazi and his wife, Shabnam Shahrokhi, have become popular social media influencers in Iran for their Instagram posts on fitness, health, their family and daily life in Iran. After repeated harassment from Iranian intelligence officials and baseless accusations, the family left Iran and shared the details of their story.
 

📥 Subscribe to receive our Human Rights Tracker in your inbox >

 From Our Staff  

Iran’s hardliners are sitting pretty
Sina Toossi for Foreign Affairs 

"Now is a time of soul-sickening worry for many Iranians, but perhaps not for the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The leader’s insouciance may seem perplexing, with Iran reeling from the novel coronavirus, U.S. sanctions, the assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani, and the specter of war with the world’s leading superpower. But Khamenei and his worldview are on the ascent in both domestic and foreign policy." Read the full article >

Coronavirus makes clear that Biden should overhaul the hardline approach Trump and some Democrats take on Iran 
Sina Toossi and Yasmine Taeb for Business Insider

"As Democrats coalesce around presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, they should seek to secure US interests abroad in a way that better bolsters human rights and minimizes the risk of war. The case of Iran today is emblematic of a misguided policy that harms both the Iranian people and US interests. The coronavirus crisis has made clear the cruelty of the Trump administration's approach to Iran." Read the full article >

The World Needs to Cooperate Against the Coronavirus—So Lift Sanctions On Iran
Assal Rad for The National Interest  

A woman wears a protective face mask and gloves, amid fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as she sells the masks in Tajrish square in Tehran, Iran April 2, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Ali Khara via REUTERS"At the start of 2020 much of the world anxiously watched as open confrontation between the United States and Iran quickly... Anti-war voices were quick to note that our current hostilities... reached this tipping point after President Trump’s unilateral decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose brutal sanctions on Iran, despite Iran’s continued compliance with the landmark deal. No one anticipated at the time that the world would face a more imminent and deadly threat with the coronavirus." Read the article in English or Persian >

The US Takes a Small, Insufficient Step To Help Iran Control Its COVID Outbreak 
Shevrin Ghaffari for Defense One

A worker wearing a protective suit operates a machine which makes face masks at a factory in Eshtehard, some 70 miles (114 kilometers) west of the capital Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 14, 2020.“The U.S. Air Force has joined the list of organizations that worry about the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic. A service intelligence report leaked to the press says sanctions have “left Iran bereft of financial resources to mount an effective public health response” to the pandemic and “unable to order ventilators from abroad, which are crucial for treatment.” The report also says that contact with infected Iranians have given Qatar the largest number of COVID cases in the region of countries hosting U.S. troops…” Read the full article > 

Iran Unfiltered: Iran Reopening in Different “Zones”

The latest issue of Iran Unfiltered, details the latest regarding the coronavirus situation in Iran and highlights dangerous US-Iran tensions in the Persian Gulf, among many other stories.

📰 Read Iran Unfiltered here >

Check out our new podcast: NIACast!
Join the NIAC staff in our new podcast as we break down the current political issues, celebrate arts and culture, and discuss the most pressing issues of the day with experts and members of the Iranian-American community. 

🎧 Check out our latest episodes here >


 Support NIAC  

The coronavirus pandemic has not just influenced the way we work, but also the work we do. And here at NIAC, we're only ramping up our efforts to fight the inhumane sanctions complicating Iran's coronavirus response, advocate for the release of prisoners unjustly detained by ICE, and support Vote by Mail in this critical election year. Many have tightened their belts to deal with the crisis, and—like many organizations, businesses, and families—we at NIAC face an uncertain financial situation as a result of the pandemic.

So we ask, if you are currently in a position to do so, will you double down on your commitment to NIAC? Your gift today also works for you. The latest stimulus bill increases the deductibility of charitable donations for both itemizers and those who claim the standard deduction! 

Donate Today
     

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