By: Dr. Arash Irandoost, Founder

Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran

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The Honorable Jim Moran

Senior Member of the Appropriations Committee

2239 Rayburn Building

Washington, DC 20515

Re:  Your participation in NIAC sponsored “Leadership Conference”  

Dear Congressman Moran,

The Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI) expresses grave concern regarding your participation in NIAC sponsored “Leadership Conference” scheduled for October 2,  2011.  While we appreciate your attention to issues related to Iran and the U.S. Foreign Policy towards Iran. The Iranian- American community considers Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) an intellectually dishonest regime apologist and a self-appointed representative of the Iranian-American community. He contributes to the regime’s agenda and serves the interests of those in power in the Islamic Republic of Iran and does not represent us the Iranian-American views or interests.

For over three decades, various governments have used dialogue and diplomacy with the regime in Iran to no avail, starting with the administration of President Jimmy Carter, who did everything possible to assure their new regime of American friendship and failed miserably. Since that time, the more world governments have tried to engage the regime’s leaders, the more belligerent, emboldened and abusive they have become.  This has not been limited to the killings of American soldiers, their communication with the outside world but extended to the repression of their own people, as we are all aware.

The Islamic regime’s apologists such as NIAC deceptively portray the Islamic government in Iran as a pragmatic and rational entity.  They suggest that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way to deal with Iran.  They falsely claim that sanctions are not effective and hurt ordinary Iranian people.  Recently, primarily due to opposition leaders Mousavi’s and Karoubi’s arrests, these apologists are attempting to shift the focus from Iran’s weapons program to what they have decided is more acceptable human rights issues. They have blamed the regime’s blatant human rights violations, which has recently exceeded China’s as the worst in the world, on U.S. pressure and ridiculously claimed that recognition of the IRI would improve the human rights violations in Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a study in contrasts. The ruling theocracy is draconian and dangerous. It is a very real and imminent threat not just to our national security but also to world stability.  IRI Lobbyists such as Trita Parsi who use the pretext of easing the sanctions to help the ordinary Iranians, are deceitful, and are meant to intentionally misguide the American public, Iranians-Americans and the government officials.  NIAC’s recent strategy of advocating human rights is merely a cover to hide its true intention which is carried out behind the scene to ease sanctions so that big corporations can sell nuclear technology, military gear, sophisticated surveillance technologies, electronic hardware and software applications to a criminal regime which uses them to spy on, arrest, torture, rape and kill its own citizens.

The Center for Security Policy cites NIAC as a lobby organization for the government of Iran.  As a result of a lawsuit, numerous NIAC documents have surfaced that show NIAC lobbies for policies favorable to the regime in Iran.  Law enforcement experts, who have reviewed some of NIAC’s emails, memos and board minutes, believe that NIAC has operated as an undeclared lobby and may be guilty of violating tax laws, the Foreign Agents Registration Act and lobbying disclosure laws. Trita Parsi falsely purports to represent Iranian-American interests in the United States. NIAC has less than 1,000 members, yet Mr. Parsi asserts that it represents the majority of the nearly one million Iranian-Americans in the USA. In our view, NIAC and Parsi will eventually be subjected to criminal prosecution and organizations and individuals that corroborate with NIAC will come to regret it.  In addition, NIAC has received millions of dollars in grants-including, outrageously, from the Congressionally-funded National Endowment for Democracy, because of its false claims, which could actually have been allocated to further the interests of real Iranian-American human rights and other important causes in the U.S. and around the world.  Instead this money has effectively been allocated to furthering the aims of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Currently, the Middle East is in crisis. Pro-democracy forces are springing up daily to demand basic human rights and better living conditions.  It is about time that countries such as the United States publicly align themselves with the democracy seeking people who have suffered brutally at the hands of dictators and tyrants. It is time to give honor, dignity, moral imperatives and ethical values precedence over lucrative financial contracts that often occur, wrongly, at the expense of ordinary citizens’ lives.

By supporting pro-democracy Iranian opposition groups, the world community not only can avert a regional and potentially global catastrophe, it will help establish democratic systems of government in the region. If Iranians are successful in shaking off the yoke of theocracy, their success could herald the failure of political and militant Islam. Helping Iran become a democracy is not only is a moral imperative, but should be considered an essential foreign policy priority that will bring a more sustainable and  lasting peace to the Middle East.

Honorable Howard Berman, Congresswoman Ros-Lethinen, Jan Schakowsky, Ambassador Burns wisely have canceled their appearances on NIAC sponsored events in the past, largely due to concerns expressed by the Iranian-American community, we respectfully ask that you cancel your appearance.  We do not think you want to be associated with such an organization or a person.

Respectfully,

Dr. Arash Irandoost, Founder