Iranians Living in America and Europe Write Letter to US Congress

Washington, DC — Over 60 prominent Iranian dissidents living abroad have written a letter to the Congress of the United States, showing their support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the Iran Deal. 

“We, the undersigned, are Iranian dissidents living abroad…We are writing to urge you to approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) because the agreement, in addition to resolving a dangerous dispute, has the potential to energize the struggle for democracy in Iran.”

The signatories assert that the normalization of trade relations between Iran and Western nations could relax tensions between Iran and the international community, encourage Iran to end human rights abuses in the country, and help resolve crises in the Persian Gulf.

The letter points to the unanimous support of the United Nations Security Council as evidence of strong international support for the agreement.  The signatories argue that the deal has set a precedent for future conflicts, proving even dangerous ones can be resolved through diplomacy. 

“This unanimity of international support for the initiative has created a new hope across the world that dangerous conflicts among sovereign nations can be resolved through negotiations and diplomacy,” reads the letter.

The signatories include Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Laureate for Peace and a Human Rights Defense Lawyer; Abdol-Karim Lahidji, the President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); Abbas Milani, the Director of the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford University; and Farideh Kioumehr, the Founder and Executive Director of the International Health and Epidemiology Research Center.

Click here to read the letter.