Iranian Forum, February 2014

The new government intends to enhance pro-Tehran lobby in the US to counter AIPAC’s influence and assist the government’s diplomacy efforts.

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In his first public interview[1] with Iranian TV on August 22, 2013, Zarif explained how AIPAC is forcing US politicians to adopt anti-Iran policies and he asked the Iranian-American to mobilize against the Israeli lobby in the US:

We see that sometimes, the US is carrying the interests of Zionist regime (Israel) on its shoulders. This overlapping of Israeli interests undermines America’s own interests.

The Iranians should mobilize and confront this small group of warmongers that try to bully the US and expose their anti-Iranian and anti-American intentions. The real threat in the region is the Zionist regime. The real nuclear threat is the Zionist regime, the threat against human rights is the Zionist regime. The real threat of war, expansionism and occupation is this regime.”

Similarly, President Rohani has publicly vowed to empower the “Iranian lobby” in the US to confront the Israeli lobby and declared[2]:

The next thing we wanted to do in New York was to soften the negative atmosphere that the Israelis always create in the US against our country. They fabricate lies to demonize our nation. We wanted to limit this space for the Israelis and make American public opinion aware that many of the things that are said against us, are not true. Of course, you know that Israel has a strong lobby in the US and a lot of influence in the Congress. They have done a lot of work and, we need to fill the vacuum and create a strong Iranian lobby in Washington that could counter AIPAC’s campaign against Iran. I think the Iranians who live there should take first steps in this regard. I proposed this in my meeting with the Iranians (in the US) and said that all Iranians in America are our voice and should echo the Iranian realities. A lot of work needs to be done in this regard, as well.

In a long interview[3] with “Aseman” magazine on August 31, 2013 Zarif explained that the government’s intentions are to dedicate resources, to use the Iranian-American community to create a powerful lobby and to oppose AIPAC.

Iran Lobby or Iranian Lobby?

Rohani and Zarif’s plan to strengthen the “Iranian lobby” and convince the Iranian-Americans to participate in this campaign is questioned by observers in Iran. They point to the fact that Iranians within the US are largely opposed to the regime and avoid any kind of involvement with a lobby that could ultimately benefit the regime. Ali Bigdeli, a well-known Iranian expert in international affairs told the reformist “Bahar[4]” newspaper that: “Comparing the Iranian community in the US to the Jewish community is wrong because a significant part of our community is in “bad” terms with our government and therefore, transforming such a hostile community to a lobby that could oppose AIPAC is impossible”

Fouad Izadi, a well-known conservative policy expert, criticized Rouhan’s approach to place hope on the Iranian community to create a meaningful pro-Iran lobby in the US. He told[5] “Fars” news that:

Our past efforts to create a strong lobby in the US by Iranian-Americans have failed and as a result, the two or three people who are getting our money and claim that they have a powerful lobby in US, are not truthful and they have not been successful. Therefore, what we need is to go over the Iranian community and seek partnerships with other groups and organizations in the US that could support our policies. For example, former President Ahmadinejad had established good relations with American anti-war groups and he met with them in New York several times. They can help to organize demonstrations in streets to oppose war and sanctions. The majority of those who can help us, are not Iranians, and therefore, we need to go to them and not limit ourselves with the Iranian community.

After Rohani’s return from New York, the Center for Strategic Studies, an institute affiliated with the office of the President, convened a consulting session[6] with a group of prominent foreign policy analysts who presented an advisory report in which they evaluated his trip and detailed their recommendations. The group led by Rohani’s chief of staff Nahavandian recommended that the idea of Iranian lobby should be abandoned and the regime should strengthen the “Iran lobby” comprising of non-Iranians.

They emphasized the importance of relations with two specific groups in the US that traditionally help the Iran lobby: the anti-war groups and the oil lobby.

[1] Javad Zarif’s interview with Iran TV, 22 August 2013. See video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxy6ubxAZ7w

[2] Hassan Rohani’s speech, Tehran, 2 October 2013. http://www.president.ir/fa/72111

[3] Javad Zarif, Asseman Daily, 31 August 2013

[4] Ali Bigdeli’s interview, Bahar, 6 October 2013. http://baharnewspaper.com/News/92/07/14/20647.html

[5] Fouad Izadi’s interview with Fars News, 12 October 2013 http://farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13920716001365

[6] The Center for Strategic Studies, Assessing Rohani’s trip to New York, 8 October 2013. http://www.css.ir/?p=958