Washington, DC – Today, a group of independent members of the Iranian diaspora as well as two Iranian organizations, The Constitutionalist Party of Iran (Liberal Democrat) and Iranian Americans for Liberty (IAL) released an open letter to
the Democratic Presidential Candidate and former Vice President, Joe Biden, encouraging him to take certain steps towards countering the human rights violations, support of global terrorism networks, and suppression of basic civil rights of the Iranian people under the Islamic Republic regime of Iran. Additionally, they request an open dialogue with the Iranian-American community.

“I grew up in Iran during a nearly decade-long war with Iraq. I saw firsthand how the regime has inflicted incalculable harm on its people, particularly the most vulnerable: children, women, and ethnic and religious minorities,” said Iranian Americans for Liberty (IAL) co-founder Dr. Daniel Jafari. Dr. Jafari, an emergency medicine physician, stated: “America is uniquely positioned to hold the regime accountable for its decades long human rights violations and most recent violent suppression of protestors.”

“The world has long viewed the United States as a beacon of freedom and an advocate of the oppressed and the marginalized. The United States government has a moral obligation to protect and promote human rights in the face of violators anywhere and anytime. We strongly urge the US to hold the Islamic Republic accountable and send a clear message that violations of basic human rights will not be tolerated.,” said Ms. Haideh Tavackoli, the Secretary General of the Constitutionalist Party of Iran (Liberal Democrat).

Included in the letter are the following recommendations:

• Accountability for the Islamic Republic on human rights, specifically the oppression of religious and ethnic minorities, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.
• Robust financial counterterrorism measures against the Islamic Republic’s funding of Hezbollah, the Houthi Rebels in Yemen, Dictator Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, and other appalling actors of violence, extremism, and terror throughout the world.
• More aggressive cyber counterterrorism measures to ensure that the Islamic Republic’s cyber terrorism does not continue to disrupt global commerce and terrorize the United States and her allies.
• Engagement and dialogue with the Iranian-American community to form a multi-faceted comprehensive approach in dealing with the Islamic Republic regime.
• A review and redress of the travel ban enacted by the current Administration for travel between the US and Iran, such that the regime affiliates and their families are banned from entering the United States, while ordinary Iranian can travel to the US to visit their families and for other legitimate purposes.

Click here to see the PDF copy of the letter and the full list of signatories.