Iranian Americans urge cooperation between the President-elect and all stakeholders to shape a comprehensive U.S. policy on Iran, which respects and supports the Iranian people’s democratic aspirations.

Statement

Washington, DC; November 21, 2016 – Organization of Iranian American Communities recognizes the tens of thousands of Iranian Americans who along with all other American electorate, actively participated in this month’s local and national elections.  As noted in the August 1, 2016 statement, our community remains united in the belief that democracy and human rights in Iran are imperative to the national security of America and peace in the Middle East.

For nearly four decades, the regime has waged brutal violence against the Iranian people under the banner of Islam as a means of preserving power.  Iran’s theocracy continues to be the epicenter and godfather of Islamic fundamentalism, spreading terrorism around the world. Tehran has inspired and funded numerous terrorist entities. Its promotion of sectarianism and support for Syria’s dictator Assad helped spawn the expansion of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The overwhelming majority of the Iranian people demand democratic change and the overthrow of this tyrannical regime.

Members of Iranian-American Communities yearn for the same values and principles championed by the likes of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In seeking an alternative to the religious fascism ruling Iran and threatening the long-term stability of the region, Iranian-Americans continue to support a political platform that allows for self-determination through democratic elections.  In this endeavor, our community has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support among members of Congress.

We oppose foreign military intervention in Iran. At the same time, we oppose any attempt to appease the tyrannical regime under any pretext. For years, U.S. policy towards Iran has been summed up in appeasing the regime while ignoring the Iranian people’s plight for liberty. This has emboldened the regime, helping fuel a rise in the regime’s influence across the Middle East. The policy of appeasement has also contributed to the unprecedented rise in human rights violations within Iran. During the 2009 uprising, the Obama administration squandered a golden opportunity to support the Iranian people in their attempt to bring about democratic change in Iran. Today, the Hassan Rouhani administration is the leading executioner in the world on a per capita basis. Rouhani’s justice minister is accused of involvement in the brutal massacre of over 30,000 prisoners in the 1980s. He recently expressed pride for this genocide and said he was merely following “God’s commandments.”

We believe the right policy towards this barbaric regime is a firm policy. Washington must stand with the Iranian people and their organized opposition as they struggle for democratic change. The ballot box is to us the only criterion for legitimacy both here and in a future Iran.

Following the U.S. presidential elections, Iranian Americans urge cooperation between the President-elect and all stakeholders to shape a comprehensive U.S. policy on Iran, which respects and supports the Iranian people’s democratic aspirations.