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About this document

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This document is prepared to provide a  rather comprehensive overview of NIAC, anorganization that was created under conspicuous circumstances in 2002, although the roots ofits creation can be traced back to 1997 when Trita Parsi started his lobby. In preparing thisdocument we have meticulously tried to make it factual and have provided copies of originaldocuments and sources. To facilitate its readability, every section is started with a shortoverview with option to read more (including relevant documents). This document is arrangesas follows:

The defamation lawsuit and NIAC's internal documents

In 2008 NIAC brought a defamation lawsuit against one of its critics Hassan Daioleslam tobreak him under financial burdens of the lawsuit and as a result, silence all other critics.Daioleslam hired a lawyer and started to fight back.  After a short time, his personal resourceswere gone and he realized that such endeavor cannot be sustained by him alone. He asked forhelp. The Legal Project at the Middle East Forum, and the law firm of Sidley Austin, rose up tothe challenge and graciously extended a supporting hand and Daiolesalm was able to defendhimself and defaet NAC in the court.

The lawsuit obliged NIAC to release part of its internal documents that turned to be devastatingfor the organization and revealed Parsi's ties to the Iranian government. This report is largelybased on NIAC's internal documents released during the lawsuit that the court has permittedtheir public release.

On September 13, U.S. District Judge John Bates dismissed the lawsuit and in his ruling wrote:

That Parsi occasionally made statements reflecting a balanced, sharedblame approach isnot inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost an advocate for the regime.Given the other evidence defendant amassed to support his views, the Court sees no"actual malice" in defendant's decision to disregard occasional contrary statements andassume that they were made largely to burnish Parsi and NIAC's image in the UnitedStates. After all, any moderately intelligent agent for the Iranian regime would not want tobe seen as unremittingly pro-regime, given the regime’s reputation in the United States.(p. 12)

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In a second ruling , judge sanctioned NIAC and Trita Parsi for discovery abuses including falsedeclaration to the court and ordered them to pay significant part of Daioleslam's legal expenses.In his ruling judge wrote:

"In awarding sanctions, the Court is mindful not just of the need to compensate defendant(Daioleslam), but also of the need to deter plaintiffs (NIAC and Parsi) from future discoveryabuses."  

            

Why this document? NIAC's lobby and its influence on US policy with Iran

National Iranian American Council ( NIAC ) is a Washington based advocacy organization that"officially" favors dialogue between US and Iran and claims to defend the interests of IranianAmerican community. On its website, NIAC declares to be a "household name on Capitol Hill"that exerts influence on US policy with Iran. During the 2008-2010, NIAC coordinated a large coalition of some 20 groups known as"Campaign for New American policy on Iran" that brought together representatives fromUSA*Engage (pro-trade lobby), Open Society, left, peace and religious groups. Since 2010, theCNAPI format has ceased to exist  but these groups continue to work together and NIACremains the leading voice among these groups.

NIAC is the administration's main  interlocutor  on Iran issues, US embassies continue to invite Parsi to speak at events organized and sponsored by their embassy, he is invited to brief the State Department officials, teach classes for them(paid for) and most prominent State's officials speakat NIAC's event.

In a series of emails the State Department officials coordinated a  joint lobby  in Congress toraise funds for an initiative that would allegedly facilitate better relation between Iran and theUS.

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In another  series of emails , the US Consular official based in Dubai asked NIAC to help theConsulate in its outreach program towards Iranians. The American official suggests fundingNIAC through a detour in order for the funds to be untraceable. 

Meanwhile, NIAC is viewed by many Iranians to be the Iranian regime's lobby in the US.  Thegovernment press in Tehran calls NIAC the " Iran lobby in US ."

NIAC's internal documents obtained during the defamation lawsuit show that the organization'smain activity has been a large scale lobby for a "friendlier" policy with the Iranian regime. Thedocuments show that NIAC's president Parsi has coordinated his lobby with Iranian officials and peoples who maintain close ties with the inner circle of the regime.

Recently, the Library of Congress released a report on Iranian intelligence ministry and namedtwo individuals as the agents of Iranian secret services. (pages 26-27) Both persons havecollaborated with NIAC. In 2008, NIAC organizeda Congressional briefing in Washington for these Iranian agents and paidtheir travel fare but the US Homeland Security intervened and stopped them from boarding theLondon flight to Washington.

NIAC's documents suggest that the organization has violated various lobbying laws such asLobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), Internal Revenue Code(IRC), Logan Act and Iran Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA).

NIAC's internal  documents also show that NIAC defrauded the congressional appropriatedfunds from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

NIAC's influence on US policy with Iran and its relation with US government and Congressjustify a scrutiny of its ties with the Iranian regime.

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Pentagon Report on Iranian Intelligence agents Who Collaborated with NIAC

The Library of Congress has released a report prepared by Pentagon on Iranian intelligenceministry, their techniques in recruiting agents in Europe and the US and in infiltrating USacademic institutions and Iranian-American organizations. The 64 page unclassified reportpublished by Washington press and Farsi medianames two individuals as the agents of Iranian secret services. Both persons have collaboratedwith National Iranian American Council (NIAC) led by Trita Parsi, a Washington based advocacy group viewed by many Iranians to be theMullahs' lobby in US. The government press in Tehran calls NIAC the "Iran lobby in US."

The Pentagon report names London based Massoud Khodabandeh and his wife AnneSingleton as the recruits of Iranian intelligence services. (pages 26-27). NIAC's internal documentsobtained during a defamation lawsuit, (that NIAC lost) show close collaboration between NIAC and these two individuals. In 2008,NIAC organizeda Congressional briefing in Washington for these Iranian agents and paidtheir travel fare but the US Homeland Security intervened and stopped them from boarding theLondon flight to Washington.

Furthermore, the report identifies several websites such as Iran Interlink as being operated bythe Iranian intelligence agency. (p. 41) NIAC also collaboratedwith H. Sobhani, editor of Iran Interlink. Sobhani wrote an articleand labeled Daioleslam a terrorist. Then, Trita Parsi and NIAC used this article in a large scale campaignagainst Daioleslam to discredit him and eventually use it in the defamation lawsuit. Parsi furtherinstructed numerous

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friendly websitesto use Sobhani's article and smear Daioleslam.

This new credible revelation by the Pentagon and the Library of Congress about NIAC'scollaborators raises serious questions about US National Security as NIAC maintains intimaterelations with US government.

In 1996, Parsi, an Iranian-Swedish student living in Sweden met Siamak Namazi fromTehran, a partner and director at Tehran based firm Atieh Bahar, a group of companiesthat help foreign corporations to do business in Iran. Atieh Bahar has close ties to theregime and maintains numerous joint ventures with the government.

Parsi's lobby over the past 15 years has been shaped by his ties to Atieh Bahar and Namazifamily. He worked for them and was paid by them, they planned and worked together to createa lobby in US, advance this lobby and Parsi sent regular reports to Atieh Bahar's directors abouthis lobby. In 1997, a year after he met Siamak Namazi, Parsi founded a small lobby organization called"Iranians for International Cooperation" (IIC), to pressure US Congress to lift sanctions andadopt a friendlier policy with Iran. This small lobby organization was limited to send letters andpetitions to the Congress. Parsi's main partner was Bob Ney with whom he coordinated this lobby. Parsi knew Ney sinceearly 1990s when he came from Sweden to US as an exchange high school student and washosted by then Ohio Senator Ney. In 1999, Parsi and his Atieh Bahar partners planned for a bigger role in US-Iran policy arena inWashington. Parsi and Siamak Namazi co-wrote a project that they presented in a conferencein Cypress. In this paper, they argued that an Iranian American lobby should be created inWashington to compete with AIPAC and legitimize a friendlier policy with Iran. The Cypress conference was organized by Hossein Alikhani, an oil businessman who spentsome time in US prison for violating US sanctions against Libya. In Cypress conference, BjanKhajehpour, the chairman of Atieh Bahar and Baquer Namazi, Siamak's father were also

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present. In 2000, Parsi went to Iran and together with Atieh Bahar directors and Baquer Namazi,elaborated on their plan to create an Iranian American lobby in Washington.

Detailed story and related documents

  

In 1997, Trita Parsi living in Sweden, founded a small lobby organization called: “Iranians forInternational Cooperation” (IIC). Parsi described IIC's goal as: “our agenda is topped by theremoval of US economic and political sanctions against Iran... IIC is capable of organizing the

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grassroots and pressure US lawmakers to pose a more Iran friendly position.”

1996: Trita Parsi met Siamak Namazi, an oil consultant fromTehran

In 1996 Trita Parsi living in Sweden, met Siamak Namazi from Iran, partner and managingdirector of Tehran based Atieh Bahar. ( Parsi's declaration to Washington Times )

Atieh Bahar, a Tehran based firm with multiple ties to the regime and Iran's economic

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Mafia

Atieh Bahar is a group of companies with diverse activities mainly in oil business. Atieh helpsforeign companies to do business in Iran, acts as intermediary between them and thegovernment, maintains close ties with the regime and has multiple joint ventures with thegovernment.

  

2000-2001: Parsi worked as a lobbyist in a lobby firm in Sweden

Document: CV written by Trita Parsi

1999: Cypress conference and roadmap for an Iranian lobby in US

Parsi and Siamak Namzi presented a joint paper in a conference in Cypress and argued for thecreation of an Iranian-American lobby in US which would be similar to AIPAC. In this paper theyproposed 3 recommendations

1. Seminars in lobbying for Iranian-American youth and intern opportunities in WashingtonDC... Arguably an Iranian-American lobby (which is different from a lobby group purely pursuingthe interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran) is needed in order to create a balance between thecompeting Middle Eastern lobbies. Without it, Iran-bashing may become popular in Congressagain.” 2. Increased awareness amongst Iranian-Americans and Americans about the effects ofsanctions, both at home and in Iran. 3. The taboo of working for a new approach on Iran must be further legitimized.

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2001: Parsi was hired as the development director of AIC andimmigrated to US

American Iranian Council (AIC) is a pro-engagement advocacy organizations based inWashington. AIC is supported by large US corporations notably oil giants that seek  businesswith Iran.

Document: Hooshang Amirahmadi, AIC president's letter

June 2001: Parsi begun consultations for the creation of NIAC. He was helped andinstructed by Baquer Namzi from Tehran.

These documents  are the reports of Parsi's consultation with his partners to create a lobby fightUS sanctions against Iran. In one document, Parsi declared that Baquer Namzi from Tehranhas given them instruction to conclude their discussions and give the result to William Miller.Miller was a board member of AIC, an anti sanction lobby in US.

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Who is Baquer Namazi and why did he help Trita Parsi to createNIAC?

Baquer Namazi was the co-director of Hamyaran, a semi governmental organization that wascreated in 1998 by the government to monitor the activities of Iranian NGOs and coordinatetheir relation with foreign organizations. Hamyaran was also designated by Iranian foreignministry to coordinate relation with Iranian expatriates. The other co-director of Hamyaran was adeputy minister for 18 years till 2008.

  

  

2002-2003: Trita Parsi, president of NIAC, sent reports to AtiehBahar in Tehran and was paid for his work

Parsi profited from his presence inside the Congress and his close relation with CongressmanBob Ney to prepare reports about the latest developments regarding Iran and sent these reportsto Atieh Bahar company in Tehran. Atieh published these reports for their clients mostly foreigndiplomats stationed in Tehran. Atieh paid Trita Parsi for his work

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2005-2009 Trita Parsi and Atieh Bahar officers from Tehrancoordinated their efforts to lobby in Washington against sanctionsand pressures on Iran

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Corrupted Congressman Bob Ney was Prasi's boss and partnerfor 10 years

Parsi's main collaborator in Washington between 1997- 2006 was the corrupted CongressmanBob Ney. They worked together to influence Congressional policy toward Iran. In a documentprepared by Parsi, he explained the nature of his relation with Bob Ney:

“The first achievement of IIC can be traced back to the summer of 1997 when Trita Parsiworked as a political consultant for Congressman Robert Ney of Ohio. Congressman Ney wasat the time a proponent of the US’s isolation policy of Iran and had contacts with the MujahedineKhalq terrorist organization. Mr. Parsi was hired to consult the Ohio Congressman on his policyvis-à-vis Iran, and persuade him to reconsider his position in favor of a pro-dialogue,pro-engagement policy.”

Some of Parsi's CV  and letters written by him explaining his relation with Bob Ney:

  

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Jack Abramoff and Bob Ney lobbying and corruption scandal andrevelations about the creation of NIAC in 2002

The  Jack Abramoff scandal and Bob Ney's conviction, revealed that in 2002-2003, they werehired by Iranian regime related people and were paid to lobby and remove sanctions on Iran. Atthe same period of time, Ney and 2 lobbyists also worked with Trita Parsi to launch NIAC'slobby to remove sanctions.

A: 2002-2003: Congressman Bob Ney and 2 Washington lobbyists Roy Coffee and DaveDistefano were hired by a London based arm dealer to lobby against US sanctions onIran and help the Iranian regime buy a VIP aircraft

  

2002: Trita Parsi and Bob Ney, accompanied by 2 Washingtonlobbyists worked together to create a parallel organization to NIACthat would undertake its lobby activities. In a memo to Coffee,Parsi explained the goals of his lobby

“Although the mission of the proposed lobby should be to improve relations between the US andIran and open up opportunities for trade, the initial targets should be less controversial issuessuch as visas and racial profiling/discrimination. Since the lobby will be spared from creating agrassroots network of its own, the initial focus on non-controversial issues will only serve toestablish credibility within the community, and not massive support (which would necessitate

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the complete avoidance of issues such as US-Iran relations).”

Iran’s 2003 Grand Bargain Offer, Bob Ney and Parsi's role

In April of 2003, Sadegh Kharazi, the Iranian ambassador to France asked Tim Guldimann, theSwiss ambassador in Tehran, to take the Iranian secret  proposal known as "grand bargainoffer" to US government.

The corrupted Congressman Bob Ney and his assistant Trita Parsi played a key role in thisissue. Following the decision taken by Kharazzi and Guldimann in Tehran, the Swissambassador went to Washington, met with Bob Ney and gave him the proposal. Trita Parsi wasassigned by Ney to " manage the  issue ". At the time, Trita Parsi worked for corruptedCongressman Bob Ney and advised him on Iran issues.

According to Guldiman memo , the Iranian offer was so secret that only four persons in Iranwere informed :

"Kharazi told me that he had two long discussions with the leader on the roadmap. In thosemeetings which both lasted two hours, only President Khatami and Foreign Minister KamalKharazi were present. The question is dealt with in high secrecy. Therefore no one else hasbeen informed.”

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The secrecy of Iranian offer implied that only 4 people were informed in Iran meaning that theRevolutionary Guards, the National Security Council, the cabinet ministers, and the Iranianparliament were all kept in the dark on this historical shift in Iranian foreign policy. Under suchconditions, we note the extraordinary level of trust between the Iranian regime, Bob Ney andTrita Parsi.

2006-2007: Parsi's collaboration with Iranian ambassador to UN

In 2006, Trita Parsi president of NIAC met with Javad Zarif the Iranian ambassador to UN andthey coordinated to influence public opinion, and prevent harsher policy toward Iran. Accordingto Parsi's emais, they launched two interrelated campaigns:

First, They used the "grand bargain" story, the alleged peace offer that Iran secretly sent to US3 years earlier in 2003 and George Bush ignored.  Zarif gave a copy of Iranian offer to Parsi and he gave the copy to the press and used it in a large scale campaign to present Iran as theparty that seeks dialogue and peace and depict George Bush administration as the part thatrejects Iranian extended hand because Bush wants to invade Iran and does not seek a peacefulresolution to Iran-US standoff. Tens of articles, interviews and conferences presented Iran as avictim of US warmongers,  influenced public opinion and prevented tougher sanctions againstIran.

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Second, after meeting Zarif in March and April 2006, Parsi launched a project called "Irannegotiation project". He arranged the meeting between US Congress members who opposedBush's Iran policy and Iranian ambassador Zarif. This campaign influenced Congressionalpolicy with Iran and helped to prevent harsher sanctions against Iran.

Parsi's email exchange with Zarif also show that he informed the Iranian ambassador onCongressional activities related to Iran.

NIAC arranged meetings between American officials with Ahmadinejad's deputies

Pasri played a key role to arrange the meeting between US politicians and Iranian officialsincluding Ahmadinejad deputy Hashemi Samareh. NIAC lobbied the US officials to meet withIranians.

Governmental press in Iran considers NIAC as "The Iran lobby" in Wahington

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See screen shots of regime controlled newspapers

"Campaign for New American Policy with Iran (CNAPI)" thepro-engagement lobby

the invasion of Iraq created a strong anti-war movement in the US  that opposed Americanpolicy in the Middle East. After 2005, some of the anti-war and left organizations came togetherand formed a coalition that asked for softer US policy with Iran to prevent a new war in theregion.

The interest groups and trade lobby that also seek better relation with Iran, joined this coalitionand CNAPI was formed that brought together representatives from USA*Engage (pro-tradelobby), Open Society, left, peace and religious groups.

In 2006 NIAC started to work with the anti war coalition and was a key player in the creation ofCNAPI. Later in 2008, NIAC became the coordinator of this coalition and successfullytransformed the anti war coalition to a large scale lobby that asked the removal of sanctions andpressure against Iran.

During the coalition's monthly meeting in December 2008, NIAC representative declared thatthey are now the “center of gravity on Iran issue” in the Congress, pointing to their political

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weight in Washington.

Since 2010, the CNAPI format has ceased to exist  but these groups continue to work togetherto shape US policy toward Iran. Recently, NIAC coordinated 26 groups to urge the Congressto support engagement with Tehran.

NIAC and its partners' influence have considerably diminished since 2010 as the PresidentObama's outreach was declined by the Iranian regime and consequently, harsher sanctionswere imposed against Tehran.

  

  

NIAC, CASMII and FOR (Iran), used American anti-war movementin a pro-Tehran lobby campaign

Following the US led invasion of Iraq, a vast and popular anti-war movement was created in theUS that opposed George Bush's foreign policy in general and his Middle Eastern policy inparticular. In 2005, after Ahmadinejad became president and Iran resumed its nuclear activities,the hostilities between Iran and the West increased and the fear of a new war in the regionbecame more real.

Some of the American "left" and anti-war groups started a large scale campaign to oppose USpolicy toward Iran and claimed that the Iranian nuclear program or its alleged terrorism arepretexts used by Bush administration to wage a military attack against Iran.

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In 2005 Iran launched an ambitious plan to connect with such anti-war groups, recruit amongstthem and use their social network in a grass root lobby to influence public opinion and preventtougher policies against Iran. (See Iranian foreign ministry document projecting moresupport to anti-war groups in the West)

Thus, the Iranian government created an organization called "Campaign against Sanctions andmilitary intervention in Iran" ( CASMII ) in both England and the US. CASMII has"anti-Imperialist" positions and together with Washington based NIAC(National Iranian American Council) have bridged Iran with US anti-war movements,successfully shaping the Iran debate within  American left peace groups.(See this videoin Farsi on CASMII) - (See also this emailin which Baquer Namaziwho worked with Iranian regime, explains NIAC and CASMII's joint campaign to use theAmerican peace movement and create a pressure group in Washington)

In September 2008, 150 representatives of US peace groups participated in a reception withAhmadinejad in New York, Some of themof them praising the Iranian regime and offering helpto combat US pressure and sanctions against Iran. (See documents)

Since 2005, CASMII, NIAC and the Iran section of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) hassent hundreds of US activists to Iran in "peace trips" organized and monitored by the regime.Upon their return, many of these activists participated in grass root lobbying in favor of Tehran. (See documents)

In February 2012, Iran utilized these friendly groups and successfully organized "anti-war"

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demonstrations in several US cities. Public and court documents show that CASMII and FOR(Iran section) have worked closely with Ahmadinejad's office to recruit among US peaceactivists using them in lobby activities in the US. (See documents)

Furthermore, according to these documents, CASMII and FOR have been member partners in alarge coalition of US organizations ( CNAPI ) that lobby for a friendlier policy with Iran. (See documents)

CASMII and FOR's partnership with influential US organizations and foundations that haveaccess within US government bodies should be setting off alarm bells as Iran could eventuallyuse its extensive connection to American anti-war movements and send its terrorist agentsdisguised as peace activists using their to provide logistic support.

  

  

NIAC and CNAPI lobbied to prevent nomination of Denis Ross byPresident Obama

In 2009, as President Obama was planning to nominate Denis Ross as "Iran envoy" at the StateDepartment, NIAC coordinated a large scale campaign to prevent such nomination for Ross'salleged loyalty to Israel and being hostile to Iran.

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NIAC's joint lobby with USA*Engage

USA*Engage is the lobby organization that represents NFTC, a coalition of large UScorporations. Behind the scene, USA*Engage has closely worked with NIAC to lobby theCongress and prevent the imposition of new sanctions on Iran.

  

  

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NIACDefrauded IRS

While Trita Parsi was engaged in lobbing since 1997 and NIAC in large scale lobbying since2006, they  continued to file fraudulent tax returns reporting zero percent lobbying untilNovember 2009 when Washington Times decided to run a story on NIAC's unlawful lobbying.After November 2009, NIAC continued to underreport its lobbying activities to IRS.

  

NIAC defrauded Congressional funds

NIAC received more than $200.000 of congressional appropriated funds from NED and EurasiaFoundation. NIAC’s internal memos suggests that NIAC lied to NED and violated many of therules governing the use Congressional funds. NIAC's violations include:

·         Financial fraud

·         Reporting false results on the work specified in the grant award

·         Failure to perform the work specified in the grant award

·         Collaboration with the Iranian regime

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Trita Parsi and NIAC's anti Israeli crusade

During the past 15 years, TritaParsi has tried to depict Israel as the main hurdle preventing anypossible rapprochement between Iran. Parsi has always tried to frame his lobby as a battleagainst AIPAC, “David versus Goliath: a smaller grassroots Iranian-American movement (NIAC)on one side and the hawkish American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) mega-lobby onthe other.”

NIAC and Parsi have justified the Iranian regime's hatred toward Israel and have paled itsflagrant anti Semitism.

NIAC's anti-Israeli crusade has effectively helped institutionalization of anti-Semitism in differentways:

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·         In an effort to acquit Iran and blame Israel for US-Iran standoff, Parsi uses deceptivemyths about Israeli extraordinary power to impose its will on the entire civilized world. The US,Europe and United Nations seem to be forced to fulfill Israeli dictate.

·         Parsi and NIAC's relentless PR efforts to pale and justify the Iranian regime'santi-Semitism, legitimizes the anti Jewish hatred and assists the Mullahs to spread theirdangerous ideas.

·         By presenting the Iranian regime as a victim rather than partly responsible for the MiddleEast turmoil and hostilities toward United States, he has influenced US policy towards easingpressure against Iran. This has tremendously assisted Iran to advance its nuclear program andits hegemonic drive in the region. This has resulted in the spread of fundamentalism andanti-Semitism in the region.

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