Trita Parsi

Action by the U.S. House of Representatives in the waning days of the 110th Congress was not the “October surprise” on Iran that many had feared. Instead, urged by a coalition of peace and security organizations and, notably, a growing chorus of their Iranian American constituents, members of Congress withdrew support for a resolution calling on the President to impose a naval blockade of Iran. The campaign to defeat H. Con Res. 362 pitted one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington against the much smaller, younger National Iranian American Council (NIAC). NIAC prevailed. In op-eds, public appearances and meetings with co-sponsors of the resolution, NIAC President Trita Parsi clearly and forcefully emphasized that the measure about to be rubber stamped by Congress, with no debate or opposition, could be interpreted as an act of war against Iran. The Iranian-born Parsi, author of the acclaimed Treacherous Alliances: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the United States, is a consistent, powerful voice for a more rational, less confrontational U.S. policy toward Iran and for a resolution to the impasse over Iran’s nuclear program through diplomacy. Bringing Iranian Americans into the debate is key. “Iranian Americans have lived the American dream, and while we have achieved extraordinary professional and economic success, as a community we have been somewhat reticent about participating in civic life. NIAC wanted to provide a way for Iranian Americans to contribute to the national debate, including issues that directly affect our community.” Those issues multiplied as talk of war with Iran intensified. “We saw how the presumption that Iraqi Americans supported an invasion was used to justify the war. We wanted to make it clear that was an answer.”