Articles
Remembering and Honoring Akbar Lari
Washington, D.C. – PAAIA mourns the passing of a cherished member of our community: founding member and long-serving Board Member Akbar Lari. Akbar Lari embodied vision, generosity, and a steadfast commitment to uplifting others. Through his
PAAIA Announces Summer 2025 Ansari Fellows
Washington, D.C. — PAAIA is excited to announce our summer 2025 Ansari Fellows: Farid Hadj and Niki Sotoodeh. The Ansari Fellowship, a Civic Leadership Program initiative generously funded by PAAIA member Bijan Ansari, was founded to encourage and
PAAIA statement on Israel’s strikes on Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the increasing number of innocent civilian deaths resulting from Israel’s attacks on Iran, PAAIA reaffirms its commitment to supporting earnest U.S. diplomacy, civilian protection, and the rights of Iranian
PAAIA’s statement on Israel’s June 12th strikes on Iran
Washington, D.C. – We at the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) are deeply distressed and alarmed that Israel has launched military strikes on Iran that hit civilian infrastructure. As Iranian Americans, many of us
PAAIA Statement on President Trump’s Reinstated Travel Ban
Washington, D.C. – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) opposes President Trump’s reinstated Travel Ban. Enacted through Executive Order, this Presidential Proclamation revives the 2017 visa restrictions that denied immigrant and non-immigrant visas
Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans Statement on the Passing of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly
Washington, D.C. – With profound sadness, we mourn the passing of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, a dedicated public servant and a steadfast ally of the Iranian American community. His decades of service in Congress —
Always the Persian Gulf: Preserving the Name of a Historic and Cultural Landmark
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump has indicated that he will decide during his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates whether the U.S. government will officially refer to the Persian Gulf
Public Service Announcement from PAAIA – Know Your Rights When Traveling
Washington, D.C. — The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) has received concerning reports from Iranian American travelers who — upon returning to the United States, including from Europe — have experienced prolonged or repeated questioning
PAAIA’s 2025 Capitol Hill Days: Advocating for the Iranian American Community on Capitol Hill
From April 2nd to April 4th, 2025, members of the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) gathered in Washington, D.C., for our annual Capitol Hill Day (CHD) events and meetings. Iranian American leaders from
PAAIA Announces Spring 2025 CHIP Fellow
Yazmene is a Pezeshkan Capitol Hill Internship Program Fellow interning with Congressman Mike Levin PAAIA is excited to announce our Spring 2025 Pezeshkan Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) fellow, Yazmene Assadian. Yazmene is a recent graduate
PAAIA Applauds the Introduction of Iranian American Heritage Month and Nowruz Resolutions
Washington, D.C. – This Monday, Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18th) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-3rd) introduced two significant resolutions in Congress: one recognizing Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and another designating March as Iranian American Heritage Month.
PAAIA Urges Congress to Implement Internet Freedom Provisions in National Defense Authorization Act
Washington, D.C. – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, alongside a coalition of organizations advocating for internet freedom and human rights in Iran, sent a letter to members of Congress, urging the implementation of
CHIP Fellow Negar Faily Reflects on Internship With Congressman Brad Schneider
Negar Faily is a senior at Loyola University Chicago, pursuing a degree in Political Science. Last fall, she interned with Congressman Brad Schneider on Capitol Hill. Until the fall 2024 semester, I had never lived away
President Trump’s New EO and Possible Deportations
Washington, DC – Dear Friends, We at PAAIA want to inform you that President Trump has signed an Executive Order to enhance national security and public safety measures. The Order’s provisions signal to many that the new Administration
PAAIA Celebrates Congress’s Passage of Internet Freedom in Iran
Washington, DC – We are thrilled that both the House and Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with its inclusion of Section 5124. This means that the “Strategy and Grant Program to Promote