Dear Iranians and friends of Iran, in the aftermath of Islamic Republic’s terror plot to assassinate a foreign diplomat inside the American soil, over 350 members of Congress have joined hands to impose even tougher sanctions against the regime.
Contrary to claims made by the IRI lobbyists, the proposed sanctions are targeted at regime’s Central Bank and many high ranking members of the regime and do not affect food and medicine sales to Iran.
By signing this letter, we will be able to express our support and even suggest a much broader sanctions including the oil embargo, because as we all know, this occupier regime does not care for Iran and Iranians and as long as it is able to sell oil at high prices, it will continue to terrorize and rape innocent Iranians, build the nuclear bomb, bringing bring our country to the brink of war with the West. Going to war with the West is something that Mullahs are yearning for. Help avoid a disastrous war!
Please express your support for this bill and help usher a new era for our country. Tell Congress and the President to impose the strictest sanctions against a regime that rapes its own citizens. Send your message to Congress and the President and express your support for H.R. 1905.
Email your first and last name to hakemiat.e.mardom@gmail.com for inclusion in the letter.
Thank you!
Arash Irandoost, Founder, Pro Democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI)
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November 17, 2011
The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
2206 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Iranian Community Expresses Support for the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 (H.R.1905)
Dear Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen:
We, the undersigned, are a diverse group of non-partisan pro-democracy Iranian-Americans and Americans expressing our support for the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 and urging the members of Congress to impose the broadest non-food and medicine sanctions against the Islamic Republic, a regime that plots to assassinate foreign diplomats inside the United States, intent on developing nuclear weapons, has the highest number of human rights violations next to China and is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.
We believe that the Islamic Republic cannot be reformed and regime change is the only viable option for Iran. The strengthening of Iran sanctions for the purpose of compelling the regime leaders to abandon their pursuit of nuclear weapons is a futile effort at best. The solution lies in meaningful support for the real pro-democracy groups inside and outside of Iran.
We believe that a complex network of individuals and organizations with ties to the clerical regime in Tehran is operating within the United States to influence the U.S. administration’s policy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Spearheaded by a sophisticated partnership between the National Iranian-American Council (NIAC), the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran (CASMII) , American Iranian Friendship Council (AIFC), American Iranian Council (AIC), the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) and many other organizations and individuals, they are serving as mouthpieces for the mullahs’ party line. The network includes well-known American diplomats, congressional representatives, figures from academia and the think tank world.
We take issue with regime lobbyists’ claim that sanctions punish the ordinary Iranians. It is our belief that the majority of Iranians have been subjected to most inhumane punishment by the oppressive regime ruling Iran. With persistent inflation and unemployment above 25%, millions of Iranians living below the poverty line, deprivation of basic human rights, suppressions of free speech, arbitrary arrests, torture and rapes, the ordinary Iranians, contrary to what NIAC claims, have been punished under the Islamic Republic’s dictatorship for over three decades.
Iranians want the strictest non-food and medicine sanctions. Without such biting sanctions, we believe that regime will soon build its nuclear bomb and ultimately bring Iran to the brink of a disastrous war with the West.
Aided and influenced by lobbyists and regime apologists who have infiltrated the halls of Congress, the United States has been appeasing the Islamic government at the expense the Iranian people. Our Congressmen should not heed advice from IRI apologists who aim to buy time for the regime to develop its nuclear weapon’s program using the rhetoric of democracy and hiding behind the flag of human rights.
For over three decades, various governments have used dialogue and diplomacy with the regime in Iran hoping to bring it to the negotiations table, to no avail. Starting with the administration of President Jimmy Carter, who did everything possible to assure the new regime of American friendship, the more world governments have tried to engage the regime’s leaders, the more belligerent, emboldened and abusive they have become. Countries such as the United States should uphold their moral imperative and support pro-democracy and secular Iranian-American groups.
These apologists and regime supporters intentionally portray the Islamic government in Iran as a pragmatic and rational entity. They suggest that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way to deal with Iran. They have falsely blamed regime’s blatant human rights violations which has surpassed China, on U.S. pressure and ridiculously claimed that recognition of the IRI would improve the human rights violations in Iran. The Iranian-American community considers such regime supporters as intellectually dishonest and morally bankrupt. They contribute to regime’s agenda and serve the interests of those in power in the Islamic Republic.
It is our belief that as long as the regime is allowed to sell oil and use its banking system and shadow organizations to get around the sanctions, it will continue its reign of terror on the Iranian people and pose a serious threat to the free world. We applaud your efforts, but are frankly surprised that more effective sanctions, such as oil embargo have not been proposed, since many oil producing countries are willing to compensate for any lost oil as the result of oil embargo.
The regime is in crisis. There is no better time. The imposition of the oil embargo and sanctioning of IRI’s Central Bank that is the source funding terrorist activities by the regime, will empower the opposition groups inside and outside Iran to unite and once again to rise up against this criminal regime, this time without the Mousavi supporters who deceptively derailed the last uprising and gave the U.S. administration the wrong advice as recently admitted by Secretary Clinton.
We strongly believe that Iran’s Persian Gulf neighbors are so outraged and alarmed by the recent terror plot and the danger posed by a nuclear armed Islamic Republic, that they are willing to increase their oil production to make up for any shortage resulting from an all-out oil embargo.
About 75% of IRI’s revenues come from oil sales. With an effective oil embargo the regime will be weakened and unable to meet its financial obligations, causing mass military and Basij desertions and giving the Iranian oppositions groups the opportunity to rise up against the regime.
H.R.1905 also should revoke the President's waiver to allow civilian aircraft parts and repairs for Iran. The Islamic Republic has used civilian aircraft to further its proliferation activities, including the supply of weapons to terrorists and groups supported by Iran. The recent grounding of a “civilian” Ilyushin plane in Turkey bound for Syria on which weapons were found, supports our view.
We are also concerned about the Voice of America and Radio Farda. Both broadcast outlets suffer from serious systemic dysfunctions and widespread staffing problems, sub-optimal programming, a lack of defined goals and no metrics by which to measure their effectiveness. Failing to address these deficiencies will virtually ensure that U.S. broadcasting remains fall short of adequate, no matter how much money is spent. It is our view that many Islamic Republic operatives have infiltrated both broadcast outlets. We strongly believe that the VOA and radio Farda should be staffed with Iranian-American media experts with known allegiance to the United States of America.
No-one can doubt the courage and bravery of many of those who have given their lives to secure human rights and freedoms – especially in Iran. Unfortunately, instead of honoring that bravery, it brings shame on us that some companies have been profiteering while democracy activists are tortured and killed. It stretches credulity when politicians make praise-worthy speeches about the oppressive regime such as Iran which closes down the Internet and manipulates the cyberspace, but simultaneously allows companies to sell the technology that enables the regime to ban satellites and use sophisticated surveillance technologies to jam transmission signals and identify, track down and arrest the opposition groups. The rhetoric needs to catch up with reality. The first half of this year an average of two people were executed each day.
Torture is routinely used by the mullahs. Peaceful demonstrators demanding reform have been rounded up and subjected to grotesque violations of their human dignity. Whipping, stoning, suspension from high ceilings, submersion under water, mock executions and many other degrading treatments have been reported by the Amnesty International and other human rights organizations. The United States must have an enduring commitment to encourage democracy and human rights throughout the world and cannot ignore the fact that the current regime in Iran is a major threat to world’s economic stability and world peace.
Currently, the Middle East is in crisis. Pro-democracy forces have sprung up demanding basic human rights and better living conditions. It is about time that the United States and President Obama publicly align themselves with the people who have suffered brutally at the hands of dictators and tyrants. It is time to give honor, dignity, moral imperatives and ethical values precedence over lucrative financial contracts proposed by lobbyists and wealthy Iranians that often occur, wrongly, at the expense of ordinary citizens' lives.
We demand the inclusion of secular and pro-democracy opposition groups in your discussions and decision making if the United States is to have effective policies on Iran. There are many experts and opposition leaders who can provide a more honest and accurate assessment of the current situation and opposition forces inside and outside Iran.
You must encourage and support every group that truly advocates freedom and the rule of law and oppose any regime that denies such progress. At this time, Iran is dominated by a vicious dictator who has proven his lack of concern for Iranians on countless occasions. There should be no question that the United States must have every ethical, moral and strategic reason to encourage Iranian democratic movements. The Iranian opposition groups hope to establish a co-operative relationship with the American people and seek their support in establishing a secular and democratic government in Iran.
Respectfully,
The Undersigned
Dr. Arash Irandoost, Founder, Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI)
Firouzeh Ghaffarpour, Television host and Political analyst
Sheri Alvandian, Publisher and human rights activist
Waltom Martin III, Director, the Iran Information Project, USA
Dr. Gill Gillespie, Director – Iran Refugee Action Network
Amil Imani, Author, Journalist and Poet, http://amilimani.com/
Cina Dabestani, CPI-DC
David Kilgour
Cyrus Shares, Iran Secular Democracy & Human Rights Advocate, New York
Siavash Afshar, Developer, Human Rights and Secular Democracy Advocate, USA
Parvin Irandoost, Human rights advocate
Hamid Hirad
Shabnam Asadollahii, Canada
Frank Salvato, Executive Director, BasicProject.org
Roxanne Ganji
Athor Yadegarians
Janet Yadegarians
David Yadegarians
Alexander Bavand
William Zaya
Melvin Zaya
Don Scruggs
Shahriar Fathi, Radio Padeshahi, Host and Political Activist
Dokhi Abdi, Aryaee TV Host, Analyst and Political Activist
Parviz Haddadizadeh, Nahad Mardomi (TNI) Commissioner, www.thenewiran.com
Ferdowsi, Wir Wollen Demokratie fur Iran
Mali Stewart
Ali Kashani
Mahnaz Gidanaian
Mina Shirdel
Pardis Irani, Iran
Reza Nikzad, Canada
Shayan Shadmehr, Iran
Dr. M. Assemani, Canada
Dr. N. Assemani, Canada
Sharzad Irani, Iran
Safoura Irani, Iran
Gilda Karbassi, Broker Associate- Coldwell Banker, USA
Mazda Aryaee, Human Rights Activist, Sweden
Aref Irandoost, Human Rights Activist, Sweden
Leila Irani, Hotel Management, Sweden
Poorang Soleimani, Medical Technology-Royal Institute, Sweden
Esfandiar Borzoo, Construction Consultant Management, Sweden
Setareh Arteshi, Democracy & Human Rights Activist, Iran
Mitra Vaezi, Canada
Tawanaa White
Jahan Khastar
Amir Katouli, Sokout-e-Jangal, Rancher, Iran
Homayoun Naderifar, Executive Board Member Azarbaijan Movement for Democracy and Integrity of Iran
Soheila Nikpour, Director, Iranian Refugee Amnesty Network
Nazli Amoon, Banker, USA
Abdolreza Heidari
Lida Ashjaee, Iranian Refugee
Kazem Jamee, Iranian Refugee
Amin Nikzad, Activist, PhD Candidate, Canada
Farhmand M. Kalayeh, Presdient/CEO Nestologies, Inc.
Dr. Hassan Kianzad, Nahad Mardomi (TNI) Borad of Trustees, www.the newiran.com
Mahin Arjoamand, Nahad Mardom (TNI) Member, www.thenewiran.com
Hushang Firuzi
Fereshteh Firuzi
Soyaya Risco
Joseph Gilardi
Amy Wilson
Soraya Mansour
Saam Goshtasb
Nader Royal
Mali Stewart
Yasamin Gaeini
Behrooz Vahdat
Shohreh Parsinejad
Shokouh Ershadi
Amir-Ebrahimi, Political Activist
Cynthia Ayers, Vice President of EMPact America
Arian Vatankhah, Owner, Aryaee Television
Pejman Azaran
Arman Nouri
LiLi Soroudi
Nahid Maleki
Soraya M. Dayani
Arman Moseni, The Unicord Companies, www.unicordcorp.com
Said D. Jabbari
Mina Kay
Prof. Masoud Behkhoo, Ph.D.
Amin Movahedi
Mojtaba Heidari Khan
Sateeh Lashkarloo
Gita Sabet
Sateeh Lasjkarloo
Azar Baghaee, Germany
Rahmat Baghaee, Germany
Mahin Hoshmand, Denmark
Parasto Oveissi-Makeup Artist, Turkey
Ramin Bastami, Translator, Turkey
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Cc:
H.R. 1905 Sponsors
______________________________
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Posted By PDMI-Arash Irandoost to Pro-Democracy Movment of Iran (PDMI) at 11/22/2011 09:54:00 AM