Advancing Peace & Diplomacy 



Biden Administration Inches Towards Iran Deal Return

Just hours ago, President Joe Biden spoke at the Munich Security Conference, where he pledged to roll back Trump's isolationist "America First'' policies that resulted in the U.S. withdrawing from a number of multilateral agreements—including the Iran deal. Biden affirmed his commitment to working with U.S. allies on everything from COVID-19, climate change, and arms control. While Biden did not directly broach the topic of the Iran nuclear agreement in his remarks, the administration has taken a number of promising steps in recent days that could help break the political stalemate with Iran. 

NIAC President Jamal Abdi welcomed the latest developments in a statement, which you can read here. NIAC Action is committed to building support for diplomacy as the best path to prevent war and protect human rights and is working to make the case for a swift return in Congress and among the general public.


📌 Read more

What's the Deal with the Iran Deal?
NIAC Responds to Biden's Latest Moves on Iran Deal
Biden Takes Steps Forward on JCPOA & Iran to Reduce IAEA Access

 Community & Culture 



Nominations Now Open for NIAC’s 40 Under 40!

From tech leaders and business gurus, to athletes and artists, Iranian Americans have made an impact on this country. That’s why NIAC is proud to launch its first ever "40 under 40" campaign to recognize 40 Iranian Americans under the age of 40 who have made a lasting impact on our community and country. And now YOU have the opportunity to nominate an Iranian-American under 40 who you think deserves this honor! 

Nominations are open until February 26th. All honorees will be announced throughout the month of March.

✏️ Submit a nomination >



 Building Political Power 



Victory! Four NIAC Action Endorsed Candidates Win CADEM Races

A big congrats to four of our NIAC Action endorsees who won their races to serve as delegates to the California Democratic Party! This means that our community has earned a seat at the table in the leadership of the largest state Democratic Party organization in the country. Our new Iranian-American representatives serving the California Democratic Party include:

Mana Shooshtari, who was the youngest person on the ballot in Assembly District 13, representing Stockton, CA; 
Iman Novin, who was reelected in Assembly District 16, representing Berkeley Hills and most of Walnut Creek;
Nima Rahimi, who not only won re-election for his seat in Assembly District 17, representing East San Francisco, but also received the most votes of any candidate on the ballot in his district; and
Sepi Shyne, who was elected in Assembly District 50, representing central Los Angeles, Malibu, and much of Hollywood. 
📌 Read more >



 Spotlighting Human Rights in Iran 



Iranian Prisoner of Conscience Behnam Mahjoubi in Critical Condition

Reports emerged today that Behnam Mahjoubi, a member of Iran's Gonabadi Dervish community, is critically ill and in urgent need of medical care. Conflicting reports have stated that Mahjoubi has already passed away, however, those statements have not been confirmed. Despite suffering from a serious panic disorder that requires daily medication, and despite the recommendation of doctors that Mahjoubi was not fit to serve a prison sentence, Iranian authorities have kept him in prison. We join the calls demanding Iranian authorities provide immediate and proper medical treatment to save Mahjoubi’s life, which should never have been endangered in the first place. Read the full post>

📖 Read more from our Human Rights Tracker >

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 From Our Staff  




Regime changers love to think Iran is always on the ‘brink of collapse’
Assal Rad for Responsible Statecraft

The narrative of imminent collapse has been part of the discourse on Iran since the revolution of 1979. But like the story of total stability before the revolution, this analysis appears to be driven more by the political interests of a few than an objective examination of the Islamic Republic’s internal security. If we wish to grapple with the many issues the Iranian government poses, most notably the repression of its own people, we must do so with a strategy grounded in reality. Read more>

Dismantling the 'Sanctions Wall' Myth
Shervin Ghaffari for Responsible Statecraft 

Since President Joe Biden was inaugurated on January 20, Iranian and U.S. officials have postured in public remarks over who should make the first move in returning to the Iran nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Underlying this debate, however, are questions of how each party can come back into compliance with the deal and what barriers stand in the way. Read more >

Middle East Roundup: Biden Takes Steps Forward on JCPOA & Iran to Reduce IAEA Access

In this week's roundup, the Biden administration took its first steps in trying to jump start the process to reenter the Iran nuclear deal. Also, barring any changes, Iran is set to reduce the access of IAEA inspectors on February 23rd. Read more >



 Iran Unfiltered  



Iranian Leaders Signal More Flexibility on a JCPOA Return

Iran’s President Rouhani and Supreme Leader Khamenei both signalled support for a phased, step-by-step return to the JCPOA this week. This comes amid a trip to Tehran by Qatar’s foreign minister, who said he seeks to break the U.S.-Iran impasse, and calls between Rouhani and European leaders. Meanwhile, a jailed Dervish protester is on the verge of losing his life in the hospital.

📖 Read the latest Iran Unfiltered >

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 Upcoming Events  



Biden Reverses the Muslim Ban: What’s Next for Iranian Americans
Monday, February 22nd at 5pm PT/8pm ET

Join NIAC Seattle to discuss what's next for our community and our loved ones in Iran now that the Biden has repealed the Muslim ban. Washington State Solicitor General Noah Purcell, who argued the successful lawsuit halting the first iteration of Donald Trump's Travel Ban, will provide opening remarks. Panelists include Tanya Fekri, immigration attorney and Director of Student Legal Services at the University of Washington, and Sahar Fathi, Policy Director for the Washington State Attorney General's Office. RSVP >

COVID-19 Vaccine Townhall (in Persian)
Sunday, February 28th at 12pm PT/3pm ET

NIAC Los Angeles is hosting a virtual Q&A with guest physicians Dr. Kamran Tabaddor, Dr. Kamangar, and Dr. Javad Aman to discuss the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccines and address vaccine hesitancy in our community. Learn more about the latest research, common myths, possible side effects, and the new variants of the virus from physicians who have been on the frontlines. RSVP >


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