Met Commander Ali Dizaei jailed for corruption
Metropolitan Police Commander Ali Dizaei has been sentenced to four years for assaulting and falsely arresting a man in a dispute over £600. -BBC - 2/8/10
Iranian-American Researcher Produces High Performance Composite Metal Foam
Researchers at NC State have developed, processed, and tested a new high-strength ultra-light material that combines the advantages of metal matrix composites with metallic foams. Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei has produced a new generation of metal foams showing 5 to 6 times greater strength to density ratio and over 7 times higher energy absorption than that of currently available metallic foams. - 2/7/10
Iranian American 2010 Census Project Coalition Gains Momentum
Now at 19 partners and counting, the coalition was formed to ensure maximum and consistent participation by Iranian Americans in the 2010 U.S. Census. The addition of these new organizations strengthens and expands the coalition's outreach and penetration, providing it with more resources and a larger platform for educating Iranian Americans nationwide and encouraging their participation in the Census. - 2/5/10
Court Rebukes Dutch Policy on Iranian Scientists
A court in The Hague has dealt a blow to the Dutch government's controversial attempts to keep sensitive nuclear technology out of the hands of Iran. Its policy to ban Iranian-born students and scientists from certain master's degrees and from nuclear research facilities in the Netherlands is overly broad and a violation of an international civil rights treaty, the court ruled today. -Science Magazine - 2/4/10
My Visit to Iran
I went to Iran, the country of my birth, in November of 2009 and stayed there for two months after being away for 30 years. I had left Iran right before 1979 revolution that overthrew the Shah. Before I left for my visit back to Iran, I was feeling very agitated and depressed about the way things are here in the USA and I felt like I needed to get away for a while. -Azita Ebrahimi - 2/3/10
Democracy Demystified
I live in a very red state. I live in a state so red that a liberal is someone with only one shotgun in the truck. I have been in this most red of states nearly my entire life. So much so that I think my neck is beginning to turn red. It is no surprise then that as a centrist I have long been apathetic about politics. And then came June. Almost out of nowhere this Green Movement exploded on to the scenes ... -Saeed Nowroozi - 2/2/10
Yasmin Siraj Takes the Silver at the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Thirteen year old Iranian American Yasmin Siraj took home the silver medal for junior ladies at the 2010 Figure Skating Championships in Washington. In her perfonrmance, Siraj captivated the audience with her beautiful performance to Rimsky-Korsakov's Song of India. Siraj is a full time student who practices during her lunch break and is also a competitive pianist. - 1/30/10
Norooz Resolution Passes House Committee in U.S. Congress
This March, as millions of Iranians and Iranian Americans celebrate Norooz, they may be joined by an unlikely group: the United States Congress. H.Res.267, the Norooz Resolution, was unanimously approved today (January 27) by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and now awaits final passage before the House of Representatives. -NIAC - 1/28/10
Saturday Night Live Hires First Iranian-Born Cast Member
Saturday Night Live's first Iranian-born cast member Nasim Pedrad joined the popular late night comedy and variety show last September and has since impersonated celebrities and first ladies including Kathy Griffin, Kim Kardashian and Iran's first lady. -Grace Nasri, Iran Times - 1/28/10
NIAC Weighs in on Senate Sanctions Bill
With the Senate expected to approve comprehensive Iran legislation, S.2799, in the coming weeks, NIAC has released a guide offering suggested changes to the legislation that would bring the bill more in line with the Obama Administration's strategy. - 1/28/10
Young Iranian Jews Now Pushing Beyond Old Boundaries
Even as they hew to their Iranian heritage and their parents' culture of hospitality, the Hedvats and other 20- and 30-something Persians, the first to be born in America, are transforming the famously insular Iranian community here in unexpected ways. -Jewish Week - 1/27/10
PAAIA to Host Capitol Hill Briefing on 2009 Survey of Iranian Americans
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) will be holding a congressional briefing on Thursday, January 28, 2010 to present the findings of its 2009 National Public Opinion Survey of Iranian Americans. - 1/24/10
Statement of So Cal Students in Defense of UCI's Center for Persian Studies and Nasrin Rahimieh
"We, a group of students in the humanities and social sciences in southern California, hereby declare our support for the hard work carried out and services rendered by the Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at the University of California, Irvine. To our dismay, a number of unknown individuals have recently disseminated information concerning the Center which is not only incorrect but actively hostile to it.." - 1/22/10
Statement in Support of National Iranian-American Council
For years such an enlightened and highly educated community did not have a strong voice to express its views and sentiments to the administrations in Washington. That changed in 2002 when the National Iranian-American Council (NIAC) was formed with the purpose of helping to improve the relations between Iran and the United States, and presenting the public with the true image of Iran as a dynamic country, and the Iranian-American community as an enlightened, highly educated immigrant group. - 1/21/10
Portland eye surgeon returns to Iran and gains a new outlook of her own
When Dr. Neda Shamie arrived in the United States at age 12, she had to start life over. She and her family left everything behind when they fled Iran, and Shamie spoke no English. Now a surgeon at the Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Shamie recently had the chance to return to her homeland to give a speech before Iranian surgeons. -Portland News - 1/21/10
Iranian American Woman Running for Contra Costa County District Attorney
Elham (Elle) Falahat always knew she wanted to be a prosecutor. The experiences of her youth showed her that in the midst of injustices, the voice of reason and law must be resolute. So when her friends in the legal community called on her to run for District Attorney of Contra Costa County (Northern California), she was ready to go. -Arsalan Barmand, NIAC - 1/21/10
Apply to NIAC's 2010 Public Service Fellowship!
NIAC is pleased to announce its fifth annual Public Service Fellowship. This fellowship is the first and only initiative designed to grant Iranian-American students the opportunity to learn first-hand how the US government works by interning on Capitol Hill. - 1/20/10
Natural Ventilation: An event in New York by Iranian-American Society of Architects and Engineers
Natural Ventilation: an Architectural tool for sustainable design in the past and the present. Presented by Mr. Mashiyat Ashraf, Principal Architect, New York City Transit. Mashiyat is a graduate of the Fine Art Faculty of Teheran University. His work has taken him to England, India before relocating to US. - 1/20/10
The Next Generation of Philanthropists
Among the amazing young change makers who captivated the audience at PARSA's 2009 annual awards event were Darrion Sani, Roz Fazli and Roshan Malekmadani. Their individual commitment to philanthropy and the community from such a young age is remarkable and should serve as an example of what every young person in the Iranian diaspora can achieve. - 1/19/10
Mahasti Afshar Appointed as PAAIA's New Executive Director
A Harvard Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Indo-European Folklore and Mythology, Mahasti brings two decades of experience in top management roles at the Getty Conservation Institute, ARCH Foundation/Austria, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, X PRIZE Foundation, and most recently, the National Geographic Society. - 1/16/10
Iranian 9/11 Hero: STEP Act a Mistake
When Shahram Hashemi saw an airplane fly into the second World Trade Center building and smoke spewing from the first tower, he knew it wasn't an accident. So Shahram, a young Iranian university student who had only been in the U.S. for three years, made a remarkable decision. -Arsalan Barmand, NIAC - 1/15/10
Young Iranian-American Volunteers
Aris Sahba Koumis, Rodd Farhadi and Zaul Moayedian have engaged American civic life in ways and at heights one might expect from politically active adults three times their age. Each has set an example that we can all aspire to and that should be encouraged in all Iranian youth in order to ensure our place in civil society. -PARSA - 1/14/10
Urge Your Member of Congress to Oppose The STEP Act
Congressman J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC/3rd) introduced the Stop Terrorists Entry Program Act (STEP) into the House of Representatives on January 13, 2010, a bill he originally introduced back in 2003. The STEP Act would bar the entry of individuals to the United States from Iran and other countries that are "State Sponsors of Terrorism", as well as Yemen. - 1/14/10
Oakland Youth Orchestra commissioning Omid Zoufonoun
The Oakland Youth Orchestra is proud to announce that we are commissioning an orchestral piece with traditional Persian instrumentation, to be debuted at a free concert on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 3:00 pm at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland . The piece is being composed by award-winning composer, conductor and educator Omid Zoufonoun - 1/14/10
Language to Deport Iranians from US dropped from STEP Act
Congressman Gresham Barrett's (R-SC) office has confirmed to NIAC that he will drop language aimed at deporting non-immigrant Iranians from the U.S. when he reintroduces the Stop Terrorists Entry Program (STEP) Act today. -NIAC - 1/13/10
Featured Organization: Moms Against Poverty
Moms Against Poverty (MAP) is a grass-roots nonprofit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was founded in 2008 by a group of compassionate Iranian American mothers who were concerned about the lives and needs of disadvantaged children across the world. - 1/13/10
L.A. radio host John Farahi is accused of swindling investors
The host of a popular Persian-language radio talk show was accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of defrauding investors out of more than $20 million in a long-running investment scheme that targeted the Iranian American community. -Los Angeles Times - 1/13/10
Congressman Seeking to Deport Iranians
If you are an Iranian in the US on a work visa or a student visa, Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) thinks you are a national security threat and should be deported. Tell Rep. Barrett that you object to the STEP Act, and call on him to reconsider this shameful legislation. -NIAC - 1/11/10
How an Iranian immigrant family's journey of hope ended in heartbreak
A South Pasadena couple whose son, Aydin Salek, died unexpectedly thought of returning to Iran in the aftermath. But they decided to stay to honor his passion for America. -Los Angeles Times - 1/10/10
International Symbolic Work Strike For Democarcy and Human Rights in Iran
We, the undersigned, will engage in a symbolic strike on Friday, January 8, 2010, in order to condemn the countless crimes of the Islamic Republic, show our solidarity and sympathy with the Iranian people and the victims of the regime's atrocities, and demand the freedom of all political prisoners in Iran. - 1/8/10
Congressman Introducing Legislation to Bar and Deport Iranians from U.S.
In response to Barrett's announcement, the National Iranian American Council has launched a campaign against the bill, saying it is "offensive to American principles, harmful to US interests, and discriminates against Iranians and Iranian Americans." The group also noted that no Iranian has ever committed a terrorist act on American soil. - 1/8/10
Setting the Record Straight On NIAC
A new battle front has emerged in the war for Iran and this is a battle that Iranian-Americans should pay close attention to. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), a non-profit Iranian-American organization based out of Washington D.C., has been the target of a multi-pronged attack campaign in recent weeks. Below I will analyze the validity of these accusations and why it all matters to you. -Hooman Enayati - 1/7/10
Seven Extraordinary Iranian Americans Gather To Inspire Future Generations
Some of the most accomplished Iranian Americans in the world will gather at The Orange County Performing Arts Center this month to share their unique success stories to an audience of over 1,700. -PAAIA - 1/6/10
Enhanced Airport Security Measures to Affect Travelers to and from Iran
Starting on Monday January 4th, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has implemented new enhanced security screening measures for individuals traveling to the United States from or through 14 chosen countries, including Iran. -PAAIA - 1/6/10
Farhang Foundation Kicks Off the New Year with Meet Farhang
In continuing its mission to promote the study and research of Iranian art, culture and history for the benefit of the community at large, Farhang Foundation kicks of the year, with its first official Meet Farhang event in Los Angeles, inviting members of the community to join and learn more about the Foundation and its efforts, in an intimate setting, while meeting the featured artists at this event and their work on display, representing the Iranian culture and art. - 1/5/10
Ezzatollah Sahabi's message to the Iranians abroad: Let us not forget our historic experiences
I greet my compatriots abroad and wish them health and success. If only circumstances were such that you, our country's human capital, could spend your energy and your financial and intellectual resources for this country and its long suffering people. But the fact that many of you, although you emigrated more or less long ago, are still longing for your home country and its people and follow the fate and disasters of Iran, is very laudable. - 1/5/10
Gatherings In Orange County In Solidarity With The People In Iran
We are inviting our fellow Iranians to attend a massive patriotic gathering as a support for the people of Iran and condemnation of violence and murder of the unarmed civilians. This gathering will take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5pm to 7pm - 1/2/10
Candlelight Vigil In New York In Solidarity With The People In Iran
Solidarity Committee for Advancement of Democracy in Iran will be holding a candlelight vigil on Sunday January 3rd at the Union Square in New York to honor Iranians killed during a peaceful rally in Tehran and to support the democracy movement of Iran. - 1/2/10
March in Washington DC to Demand an End to Violence Against Iranian People
On January 3rd, 2009, we will gather to show our solidarity with the movement for democracy in Iran. We will address the international community and the U.S. government and demand that they use all diplomatic leverages on Islamic Republic of Iran to end the violence on the streets and in prisons. - 12/30/09
Immediate Global Response Condemning Intensified Violence in Iran
Within hours, thousands of Iranians and non-Iranians internationally mobilized to condemn the violence and stand in support of people of Iran. Demonstrations have been organized in at least 20 cities, including in Brussels, the Hague, Frankfurt, Rome, Munich, Berlin, and Washington DC, where the demonstrations were held in front of embassies and consulates. -United4Iran - 12/29/09
Iranian-American Groups NIAC and PAAIA Condemns Violence against Iranian Protestors
Two of the leading Iranian-American organizations have issued statements condemning the violence against the protesters in Iran and expressing support for their democratic demands. - 12/28/09
A Bright, Young Iranian Woman in Need of Bone Marrow Transplant: Message from Mona Zarei
I am a 26-year-old graduate of Sharif University in Tehran, currently a PhD student in Electrical Engineering at the Florida International University. Unfortunately after only four months living in America, in November 2007 I was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder which has gradually led to bone marrow failure. - 12/28/09
Aydin Salek, Tragedy Hits Home
It was Sunday evening that I heard the sad and heartbreaking news about Aydin Salek. Aydin died in the earlier hours of Sunday December 13th, one day short of his 18th birthday. -by Elahe Amani - 12/19/09
Amir Oveissi Launches Social Networking Site for Politicos
In today's fast paced world, it seems no profession or industry has been left unbitten by the social networking bug. Enter DistrictFile, an exclusive social networking site targeting those working in politics. Created by Oveissi in September 2008 - 12/18/09
NIAC Efforts to Reform Sanctions on Internet Tools for Iranians Successful
The National Iranian American Council welcomes the decision by the Obama Administration to waive provisions of US sanctions that have kept important tools for online communication out of the hands of the Iranian people. - 12/17/09
Jews Recall, Record Memories of Iran
Cohen was among nearly 100 local Iranian Jews participating in Our Legacy Project, an initiative sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Iranian Jewish organization 30 Years After to record the community's memories of life in Iran, from fond to painful. -Jewish Journal - 12/17/09
Pour Un Instant: LA LIBERTE!
Austrian-Iranian film director Arash T. Riahi signs an outspoken film on the plight of Iranian refugees fleeing their homeland for freedom --- Probably one of the advantages for Iranian Diaspora filmmakers today, is to work in their country of adoption. Be it in Europe or the United States, independent films benefit from a freedom of expression which at worst would be only challenged by financial limitations but never truly by any form of political or artistic censorship. -Darius KADIVAR - 12/16/09
Homa Sabet Tavangar's "Growing Up Global" named "Best New Parenting Book" by Scholastic Magazine
Homa Sabet Tavangar, an Iranian-American mother of 3 living near Philadelphia, has received wide recognition for her book Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World (Random House, 2009). Tavangar's book has been named "Best New Parenting Book" by Scholastic Magazine (recognized leader in the area of parents and schools). Global Giving, the eBay of philanthropy, partners with Growing Up Global for its holiday promotion - 12/15/09
Tell Congress to "Stand with the Iranian People!"
For decades, Iranians have lived under the double burden of repression by their government and unintended hardship caused by US sanctions. Even now, Congress is rushing to pass the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA), which will only contribute to the Iranian people's suffering by seeking to restrict Iran's supply of heating oil and gasoline. -NIAC - 12/15/09
L.A. Iranian Americans driven to protect young celebrators
When 25-year-old Daniel Levian was killed in a 2008 drunk driving accident, news of the sudden loss jolted the city's tight-knit Iranian American community. Word spread at popular Westside eateries and synagogues, and through Persian-language radio. -LA Times - 12/14/09
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