Organization of Iranian American Communities

Organization of Iranian American Communities
Abbreviation OIAC
Formation 2012 (2012)
Headquarters Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political Director
 Majid Sadeghpour
Parent organization
 People's Mujahedin of Iran
Website www.oiac.org

The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) is an organization in the United States.

According to an article published by NBC in 2013, the organization "inaccurately represented itself as a non-profit" and doesn’t appear in a federal database of such agencies.[1]

History

The OIAC was founded in 2012 with its present headquarters located in Washington, D.C., United States but it has been working as Iranian American Communities-US since 1997.[2] Majid Sadeghpour is currently the Political Director of the organization.[3]

By February 2015, the OIAC claimed activity in 30 U.S. States.[4]

Ties to the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK)

The OIAC is known to be a front for political arm of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), a listed Foreign Terrorist Organization from 1997 to 2012.[5][6][7] The OIAC's office in Washington D.C. is "located right next door to the NCRI office on Pennsylvania Avenue".[7]

The Intercept has described it as part of the MEK's "opaque network" in the United States.[4]

Lobbying

According to The New American, the OIAC has spent millions of dollars for lobbying in favor of the MEK.[8] Al-Monitor reports that from January to December 2016, aligned with the NCRI efforts, the OIAC paid Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld law firm $90,000 and is actively pressing the United States Congress to recognize 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners.[7]

Controversy

In 2013, the OIAC paid nearly one-third of the costs for the trip of then-Mayor of San Diego Bob Filner to Paris, France, which totaled $31,363.[1] Filner who attended the annual meetings of the MEK in 2007 and 2011 sponsered by an Iranian-born Colorado real estate broker Mehdi Ghaemi, appeared the event again in his trip.[9] After the OIAC payment was placed under investigation for violation of state law by the City Council, Filner pledged to reimburse the costs.[1]

Mission and acivities

The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) promotes human rights and democratic freedom for the Iranian people.[10] According to what the organization states on its press releases, it advocates for a democratic secular government in Iran, founded on respect for human rights, religious tolerance, and equality among all Iranian citizens.[11][12][13][14][15] It also organizes Iranian-American communities in the United States with the self-proclaimed aim of "promoting democratic values".[16][17][18]

Organizing gatherings

The OIAC organized gatherings in front of the United Nations building against President Hassan Rouhani[19] and the White House "in solidarity with protesters in Iran".[20][21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wendy Fry and Monica Garske (31 July 2013). "Mayor Under Fire: Filner Says He'll Pay for Paris Trip". NBC San Diego. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Organization Of Iranian American Communities Oiac Inc in W Sacramento, California (CA)". nonprofitfacts.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Iran is at the heart of radical Islam". thehill.com. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 Ali Gharib, Eli Clifton (26 February 2015), "Long March of the Yellow Jackets: How a One-Time Terrorist Group Prevailed on Capitol Hill", The Intercept, retrieved 30 March 2018
  5. ↑ Christopher C. Harmon, Randall G. Bowdish (2018), The Terrorist Argument: Modern Advocacy and Propaganda, Brookings Institution Press, p. 301, ISBN 9780815732198
  6. ↑ Eli Clifton (6 May 2015), "Tom Cotton Allies Himself with the MEK", LobeLog, retrieved 30 March 2018
  7. 1 2 3 Jack Detsch (12 December 2017), "Trump rhetoric divides Iranian-Americans", Al-Monitor, retrieved 30 March 2018
  8. ↑ Joe Wolverton (10 May 2015), "Senator Tom Cotton Makes Allies of Radical Marxist Muslims", The New American, retrieved 20 April 2018
  9. ↑ Dean Calbreath (28 June 2013), "Filner Visits Iranian Resistance In Paris", The Daily Transcript, KPBS Public Broadcasting, retrieved 30 March 2018
  10. ↑ Mark, Langfan (27 September 2015). "Iranian-American Scholars: Rouhani on Political Execution Spree". israelnationalnews.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Statement by Organization of Iranian American Communities-US (OIAC-US):101 Iranian-American Scholars and Professionals Press Obama on Iran Human Rights". ssuchronicle.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Don't Let Iran's Clerics off the Hook" (Press release). Organization of Iranian American Communities. January 16, 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "OIAC Welcomes Denial of Visa of Iran's Alleged Terrorist Diplomat by the White House" (Press release). Organization of Iranian American Communities. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "OIAC Welcomes Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Iran's Human Rights Abuses" (Press release). Organization of Iranian American Communities. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC) Condemns Iran's Brutal Attack on Political Prisoners". highbeam.com. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC)". eventbrite.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  17. ↑ "Iranians rally in NY on Sept. 28 to denounce Rouhani's visit to UN". iranfreedom.org. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "Firm policy needed to curb Iran regime's nuclear program". ncr-iran.org. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  19. ↑ Protesters Rally Against Iranian President at United Nations by REBECCA GIBIAN, Associated Press; 20 September 2017
  20. ↑ Demonstrators gather at White House to support Iranian ‘liberty, democracy’; By Dick Uliano, WTOP-FM, 6 January 2018
  21. ↑ The Organization of Iranian American Communities holds a demonstration across from the White House in solidarity with protesters in Iran, Washington, Jan. 6, 2018
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