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Dear John,
On Monday, NIAC Action’s LA Chapter met with Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) to share their disappointment in his recent tweet indicating that Iran should be deprioritized on vaccine distribution. Our members shared their stories of the suffering that their loved ones have experienced amid the pandemic in Iran, and their hope that Rep. Lieu would both retract his prior remarks and work to ensure that the U.S. does everything it can to ensure that sanctions do not stand in the way of humanitarian trade, including in vaccines.
It was a productive conversation, and we appreciate Rep. Lieu for listening to our volunteers. Last night, he issued a statement expressing regret for his words and clarifying that everyone is deserving of vaccines, while thanking Iranian Americans for sharing their stories.
In these tough times, it is more important than ever for the Iranian-American community to stand together and support humane policies centered on the rights of the Iranian people. Thanks to the activism of NIAC's LA chapter and Iranian Americans across the country, our voice was heard loud and clear by an influential Member of Congress who represents many members of our community.
But we won’t stop here. We hope that Rep. Lieu, and many more Members of Congress, will push the Biden administration to follow through on the President’s call for more humanitarian trade with Iran to combat the pandemic that has afflicted so many of our loved ones.
Thank you, as always, for standing with us and for your support in the important weeks and months ahead.
In solidarity,
Jamal Abdi
Executive Director, NIAC Action
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