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Join NIAC's First Ever Virtual Gala!
Senior Research Fellow Assal Rad on why coming together as a community this July 30th has never been more important. Watch her video message.
You're invited! Join NIAC members from all across the nation on July 30th at 8pm ET as we come together to build Iranian-American political power ahead of the most important election of our lifetimes.
Our first ever Virtual Gala will include a lively evening of entertainment and special guests, including appearances from media personality Reza Aslan, Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran Ambassador John Limbert, Salt Lake City Councilwoman Shireen Ghorbani, former Deputy National Security Advisor under President Obama Ben Rhodes, and more!
We'll also be honoring some of the most outstanding champions of our community, including Washington State Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and Dr. Kamran Tabbador.
But make sure to reserve your ticket today as space is limited. And please consider making a gift to help us reach our fundraising goal by July 30th!
Claim Your Free Ticket >
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Advancing Peace & Diplomacy
Reports broke last week that since 2018, the CIA has led a series of covert cyber operations against Iran after President Trump signed a secret authorization empowering the CIA to conduct its own covert cyber operations without approval from the White House. The CIA's increased agency paves the way for it to launch cyber operations intended to do everything from targeting infrastructure to conducting intelligence "hack-and-dump" actions.
To discuss this latest bombshell development, NIAC President Jamal Abdi and Senior Research Analyst Sina Toossi sat down with veteran CIA analyst Paul Pillar in our latest episode of NIACast to explore what Pillar has termed "the undeclared war against Iran."
🎧 Listen to the conversation here >
In a welcome win for peace and diplomacy, last week the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) put forth by Congresswoman Barbara Lee requiring the administration to cease hostilities with Iran in a 30-22 vote.
Rep. Lee has been one of staunchest pro-peace advocates Congress has seen—and in acknowledgment of her dedication and commitment to advancing peace, we are honored to present Rep. Lee with our 2020 Courage Award as part of our Virtual Gala. NIAC is proud to have worked alongside Rep. Lee, who has demonstrated the courage and bold leadership needed to make a difference for generations to come.
Rep. Lee's efforts are backed by both pro-peace advocates and officials, and follows on the heels of multiple resolutions passed earlier this year with bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate again making clear that Trump does not have authorization to start a war with Iran. The amendment reflects a growing consensus among Americans that there is only one sound policy when it comes to Iran: one that prioritizes peace.
Read more
📌 NIAC Endorses Rep. Schakowsky's “No War With Iran” Amendment
📌 Multiple Legislative Victories During House Appropriations Markup
📌 Sanders, Pocan & Lee Propose Slashing Pentagon Spending
Securing Equitable Immigration
Congress to Vote on Muslim Ban Tomorrow!
Our chance to end Trump's discriminatory Muslim Ban one and for all is finally here. Tomorrow, the House of Representatives will vote on the NO BAN Act, which would effectively repeal the Muslim Ban and prevent any such policy from being implemented again. It's taken three and a half years of advocacy, but the collective efforts of our community and partners have resulted in our best chance to repeal the ban yet.
But we need you to take action today to ensure that your representative votes YES on the NO BAN Act tomorrow. Together, we can make it loud and clear that we will not stand by as this administration attempts to institutionalize hate and bigotry.
🚨 Take Action to Repeal the Muslim Ban >
Spotlighting Human Rights in Iran
Last week, Iranian social media finally erupted in unison, calling on Iranian authorities to stop the execution of three young men and end the use of the death penalty. The hashtag, “Don’t Execute” (Edām Nakonid), was used over 4.5 million times by Iranians around the world to put pressure on the Iranian government to take action. Thankfully, after immense pressure, Iranian officials halted the executions of these three men, with the Supreme Court also accepting their request for a retrial. See more from our Human Rights Tracker and read our full statement here.
Baha’i Student Prodigy Banned from School in Iran
On July 8th 2020, Adib Vali received a call from his principal with news that he cannot enroll in tenth grade. Vali’s expulsion is a direct result of his Baha’i faith, and unfortunately, he is only one of hundreds of thousands of Baha’is who face systematic persecution in Iran because of their faith. The Iranian government must recognize the injustices committed not only against Vali, but against all Baha’is in their country who deserve equal rights before the law. Read more >
Protecting Civil Rights
Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 7:00 PM ET
The Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the nation reveal a historic moment of activism across the U.S., in just one more example of how the distinct struggle of Black Americans paves the way for the civil liberties for all marginalized groups. As Iranian Americans, it is incumbent upon us to educate ourselves, recognize our own privileges, and confront the anti-blackness within our community.
That's why we hope you'll take part in our upcoming event: Understanding BLM: Addressing Anti-Blackness in Our Community. Joined by Rahna Epting from MoveOn, Neda Maghbouleh from the University of Toronto, and Zephyr Williams from Alternatives to Violence, NIAC's own Assal Rad will moderate a discussion about recognizing our privileges and the need to confront anti-blackness within our own community. RSVP here>
🎧 And make sure to check out Episode #10 of NIACast to hear from Councilmember Mitra Jalali about the Black Lives Matter movement and more!
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