Congressmen Urge Kerry to Prioritize Release of Iranian American Held in Iran

Members of Congress Urge Secretary of State Kerry to Prioritize Release of Iranian American Held in Iran

July 19, 2013, Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday, calling on the secretary to prioritize the release of Amir Hekmati, an Iranian American and Marine veteran who has been detained in Iran since August 2011.  The letter was signed and supported by 112 members of Congress.

Hekmati was born in Arizona and raised in Michigan.  After serving in the Marines, he travelled to Iran to visit his grandmother.  Iranian authorities detained him shortly after his arrival on espionage charges. His family and the U.S. government have emphatically denied the allegations.   In January  2012, Hekmati was convicted and sentenced to death.  The sentence was later overturned by Iran’s Supreme Court.

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PAAIA Hosts Annual Reception for Iranian American Capitol Hill and Administration Staff

July 23, 2013, Washington, D.C. – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) held its annual reception for Iranian Americans who work for members of Congress and the Executive Branch on July 18, 2013.  The guests, who also included Iranian Americans working for government consulting firms and nonprofit organizations, got a chance to mingle and network with one another in an intimate setting.

The receptions’ featured guests were James “JD” Derderian, Founder and Managing Partner of the Stanton Park Group, LLC, Andy Halataei, Director of Government Relations of the Information Technology Council, and Cookab Hashemi, Chief of Staff of Congresswoman Jackie Speier.

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Members of Congress Urge Obama to Reinvigorate Diplomatic Negotiations with Iran

July 23, 2013, Washington, D.C. – Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to the White House on July 19^th, encouraging President Barack Obama to reinvigorate diplomatic negotiations with Iran in the wake of the election of Hassan Rouhani as the country’s new president.

The letter was authored by Congressmen Charles Dent (R-PA) and David Price (D-NC) and signed by 131 representatives, more than a quarter of the House.  Most were Democrats, but seventeen Republicans also signed the letter.  A number of signatories hold positions of leadership in the House.  Both Dent and Price are senior members of the Appropriations Committee, and James Clyburn (D-SC), who also signed the letter, is the chamber’s third-ranking Democrat.

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Urge President Obama to Facilitate Humanitarian Trade and People-to-People Ties with Iran

Obama administration officials are considering measures that would help ensure that the Iranian people have access to food, medicine, and medical supplies.

If you haven’t sent your letter to President Obama yet, now is the time.

Help facilitate humanitarian trade and family remittances in a safe and transparent manner!

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PAAIA Announces 2013 OGHAB Interns

July 23, 2013, Washington, D.C. – PAAIA is pleased to announce this year’s interns of the Opportunities for Growth, High Achievement, and Betterment (OGHAB) Program. Neda R. Ganji, Mahmoud Mihanyar, Niki Mihanyar, and Mehdi Mortazavi have all been placed with organizations in their respective fields of interest.

The PAAIA OGHAB (Opportunities for Growth, High Achievement, and Betterment) Internship Program provides summer internship opportunities for young Iranian Americans in a variety of fields and disciplines in organizations and companies nationwide. The goal of the program is to provide interns with the opportunity to learn about and gauge their interest in their field of study, while offering them  hands-on experience in a structured work environment.

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Meet PAAIA’s Summer 2013 CHIP Fellows

July 9, 2013, Washington, D.C. – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2013 Summer Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP).  Ms. Marisa Vavruska and Ms. Mitra Yazdi are distinguished young Iranian Americans who will have the unique opportunity to get a firsthand look at our nation’s legislative and political process.

The PAAIA CHIP program recognizes that internships are often the inspiration and launching point for the careers of some of the most distinguished public servants in the nation. Serving as a CHIP Fellow gives both Marisa and Mitra an important vantage point on American public life, valuable professional networking and communications skills, and an important credential to pursue a career in public service or other related fields. 

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