John, if you’re like me, you’re furious about the Iranian government killing the youth of its country with impunity.
But, you also may recognize that posting in solidarity online, while necessary for visibility, isn’t going to be enough. If the Iranian government was vulnerable to memes and hashtags, it would be toppled already.
Those facts may lead you to believe that there is nothing we can do to make a difference.
We think that conclusion is wrong. There are tangible steps that the U.S. government can do to make a difference in the lives of Iranians, beyond mere virtue signaling or escalating into dangerous territory that would further jeopardize lives on the ground.
What are those things, and what progress have we made on them thus far?
1. Countering Iran’s online repression by making new tools available for Iranians.
The Iranian government’s repression of the people is made exponentially worse in the darkness created by state-coordinated internet blackouts. We can and must call on the U.S. government to combat that. The Biden administration acted swiftly following the outbreak of protests to publish a license expanding the tech tools authorized for Iranians. This includes vital anti-censorship and anti-surveillance tools, including cloud technology, to safely run virtual private networks.
Unfortunately, while we’re glad to see our federal government respond swiftly to uphold internet freedom, the private tech sector has been much too slow to follow suit. Many companies are taking a wait-and-see approach, falsely believing that the authorizations are too narrow or worrying that they would have trouble getting paid. We need to raise the pressure on these companies immediately – especially right now amid horrifying public executions of protestors, and continuously in the weeks and months ahead. You can take an initial step to do so here [[link removed]] .
2. Take action to allow Iranian Americans to support family members on the ground
Since the outbreak of protests in September, one of the most common questions we have heard is "How can we help people on the ground? Can we wire our family money?"
Unfortunately, the answer is not really, thanks to U.S. sanctions. But that could change.
Sending donations directly to protesters has exploded in popularity here in the U.S., including during the protests for racial justice in 2020 when bail funds became a common way to stand in solidarity. These funds are critical to social movements everywhere: they allow the people taking the highest risks to literally afford to put their body and livelihoods on the line.
Now, the U.S. does allow remittances to be sent to Iran - which is a fancy word to describe money transfers to support family living abroad. But there’s a big catch.
The only way to do so legally is to hand carry your money to Iran - which isn’t usually feasible even under more normal circumstances - or to send them through U.S. banks. But U.S. banks don’t have banking relationships with Iranian banks.
That’s why we need the Biden administration to expand its authorizations for remittances. This could be a big deal for our community - allowing Iranian Americans to support their loved ones through difficult times, caused either by the Iranian government’s violent actions against the people, the realities of brutal sanctions, or the horrible economic situation in general. You can message the State Department on this urgent priority here [[link removed]] .
3. Visas/Refugee processing
The Islamic Republic has cracked down brutally, with over 18,000 protesters arrested and at risk of severe punishment - including execution. Nearly all rights defenders have been rounded up to prevent any leader from emerging. Clearly, many need to escape Iran just to survive, all for expressing support for a brighter future for their country.
One way the U.S. government can help, along with countries with consulates on the ground, is by speeding up refugee processing for Iranian nationals as well as visa issuances, including for Iranian students. The faster this is done, the more people will be able to get to safety.
Take action to urge more visas for Iranians here [[link removed]] .
4. Increase multilateral attention and pressure on the Iranian government’s rights abuses
The United Nations Human Rights Council, with support from the United States, passed a resolution last month authorizing a fact-finding mission to document and collect evidence on human rights abuses committed by the Iranian government. This was a significant achievement - and the first time such a fact-finding mission has been authorized outside of war and military conflict. Likewise, following calls from human rights defenders in Iran, the Iranian government was removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women as a direct response to the government’s violence against the women-led movement in Iran.
However, more can and should be done. Congress still needs to take steps to officially condemn Iran’s abuses and stand with the Iranian people. You can take action on those priorities here [[link removed]] .
In addition to amplifying the protestors, we can concretely make a difference if we call on our own U.S. government to support internet freedom, remittances, visas, and multilateral pressure on Iran’s abuses. Let’s do everything we can for the people of Iran, who are ultimately risking everything for a brighter future.
Best,
Jamal Abdi
President, NIAC
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