The Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI) conducted an on-line bilingual (Farsi-English) survey of Iranians, Iranian- Americans and Americans in order to gauge attitudes towards NIAC and its president Trita Parsi. Respondents constituted a representative sample of 2,030 (as of 8/11/2011) individuals age 18 and older who had access to the Internet. The survey’s key preliminary findings are that:
- 95% of respondents expressed NIAC did not represent their interests
- 94% of respondents believed NIAC was a lobbyist for the Islamic Republic
- 93% of respondents believed that NIAD has defrauded the federal government
- 80% of respondents believed that NIAC had lied to members of Congress about its membership numbers
- 72% of respondents knew that NIAC worked with Roy Coffee to establish a lobby organization
- 82% of respondents said that they were never asked for their opinion by NIAC
- 1% of respondents believed that NIAC was a human rights organization and
- A large majority of respondents wanted NIAC to disclose its financial documents (91%) , membership list and numbers (85%) , and be held accountable for its actions as a tax exempt, 501 ( c ) tax exempt organization (84%) .
Spreadsheets and Survey Resource and website.
Members of Congress need to recognize these facts and the letter below to the Honorable Jim Moran expresses deep concern for his participation with the group.
Capitol Hill Office
2239 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515-4608
Phone: (202) 225-4376
Fax: (202) 225-0017
District Office
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Alexandria, VA 22314 - 2632
Phone: (703) 971-4700
Fax: (703) 922-9436
_________________________________________________
August 11, 2011Hon. Jim Moran
Senior Member of the Appropriations Committee
2239 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: your participation in NIAC sponsored “Leadership Conference" in October 2011
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. He contributes to the regime’s agenda and serves the interests of those in power in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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 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 and sellable “Johnny-come-lately” human rights issues. They have blamed the regime’s blatant human rights violations, which have recently overtaken 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 collaborate with NIAC will come to regret their affiliations with them. 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 a democratic system of government in the region. If Iranians are successful in shaking off the yoke of theocracy, their success could herald the failure of a 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 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
http://hakemiat-e-mardom.blogspot.com/
Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran
The Undersigned
More 2,500 Iranians, Iranians Americans and Americans facebook cause members have expressed that NIAC is a lobby organization advocating policies favorable to the Islamic republic of Iran.
http://www.causes.com/causes/404289?m=bd0781f2
