February, 09 2022, 07:54am EDT
JCPOA Org Letter to Biden Administration
WASHINGTON
Today, twenty organizations released a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressing support for the Biden administration's vital efforts to restore the JCPOA. The twenty signatories - representing veterans groups, nonproliferation experts, activists and diverse communities within the United States - recognize the vital importance of restoring the agreement and moving off the path to military confrontation with Iran. As we reach the final stages of negotiations on the JCPOA, the letter highlights the risks of collapse and supports assurances and mechanisms that guard against a future withdrawal from the agreement.
According to the letter, "All parties in the negotiations now acknowledge that a path to returning to the deal is within reach, which presents the Biden administration with a stark choice. Finalize a restoration of the JCPOA and restore far-reaching constraints on Iran's nuclear program, or risk being trapped in the failed maximum pressure policies the Trump administration enacted."
Below are featured quotes from representatives of some of the groups signing the letter:
"These groups represent millions of Americans, from activists to nonproliferation experts to veterans, reaffirming the fact that a strong majority of Americans support a return to the Iran Deal. This policy consensus is as clear as the historical record: the JCPOA is widely supported because it was effective in blocking Iran's paths to a bomb, while Donald Trump's abandonment of it has led to a surge in Iran's nuclear activities and even put us at the brink of war." - Dylan Williams, J Street
"The Biden administration has a green light from the public and from Congress to restore a vital nonproliferation agreement that is overwhelmingly in the U.S. interest. President Biden must seize this opportunity, veer off the path to military confrontation with Iran, ease crushing sanctions and restore the most significant agreement between the U.S. and Iran in decades."
- Ryan Costello, National Iranian American Council
"The only thing that has a history of success around Iran's nuclear program is diplomacy. That's why it's crucial for the Biden Administration to continue talks so that we can secure an outcome that is good for the people of the US and in Iran." - Sara Haghdoosti, Win Without War
"There is no doubt that the JCPOA enhances US national security as it prevents Iran's pathways to a bomb as well as a disastrous confrontation with Iran. The previous administration did a massive disservice to the security of Americans by pulling out and the Biden administration should be commended for seeking to right this wrong. The administration has the public's support in this and should not be deterred by those who prefer confrontation over a deal."
- Trita Parsi, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
February 8, 2022
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20521
Mr. Jake Sullivan
21600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Secretary Blinken and Mr. Sullivan,
As diplomatic momentum builds and gaps narrow in multilateral negotiations in Vienna, Austria, we write to urge the Biden administration to finalize a restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
All parties in the negotiations now acknowledge that a path to returning to the deal is within reach, which presents the Biden administration with a stark choice. Finalize a restoration of the JCPOA and restore far-reaching constraints on Iran's nuclear program, or risk being trapped in the failed maximum pressure policies the Trump administration enacted.
Many of those who cheered as Trump sabotaged the JCPOA have already made clear that the maximum pressure road ends in a full-blown war between the U.S. and Iran. A turn away from diplomacy toward a war of choice with Iran would be incredibly detrimental to U.S. national security. Such a war would likely engulf the region in chaos, involve substantial civilian and military casualties and ultimately incentivize Iran to drive firmly toward a nuclear deterrent. As the former head of Israel's Iran military intelligence unit said, "there is no magic solution to Iran's nuclear program, especially not through an attack."
Likewise, those who have cautioned delay and prioritized pressure over good-faith diplomacy have been proven wrong. Trump's coercive approach has led to a harmful stalemate and predictably triggered dramatic escalation in the Iranian nuclear program. For the people of Iran, U.S. sanctions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have exacted a harsh toll. Similarly, recent calls to break off talks prematurely were followed by continued progress toward a restoration of the deal.
Fortunately, it is clear that the Iran nuclear agreement remains overwhelmingly in the U.S. interest, and that the nonproliferation benefits of restoring the deal would be immediate and significant. The political window also remains open, as nearly every Democratic lawmaker in Congress has supported your diplomatic efforts and given your administration ample space to strike a deal. Particularly as the party that breached the deal in 2018, it is vital that the United States continue to press toward a successful conclusion of negotiations. Our collective organizations urge you to follow through on your commitment to restore the agreement.
As you seek a diplomatic breakthrough, you should consider the very real sources of Iran's reticence over lack of clarity on how long sanctions relief can last. This reticence will not be overcome by military bluster or the already-failed approach of maximum pressure. It can only be overcome by ensuring sanctions relief is restored fully and in a durable manner. Moreover, assurances and mechanisms that deter against any future unjustified exit from the JCPOA ultimately serve U.S. interests, as it would be tremendously detrimental to American security if Iran is once again incentivized to ignore restrictions on its nuclear program. Thanks to the diplomacy of the past few months, the JCPOA may miraculously survive Trump's exit from the agreement. There is no reason to believe, however, that the agreement could survive a second American exit.
There are many issues that the U.S. and Iran must address through diplomacy, including freedom for dual nationals unjustly detained in Iran and heightened regional tensions. The best way to address these issues is to press forward and finalize a restoration of the JCPOA, not turn away from the negotiating table and double down on a failed approach.
As supporters of the JCPOA and your administration's efforts to restore the agreement, we stand ready to support and defend a restoration of the agreement against bad faith and partisan opponents.
Sincerely,
Americans for Peace Now
Council for a Livable World
Demand Progress Education Fund
Foreign Policy for America
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Global Zero
Indivisible
J Street
MoveOn
National Iranian American Council
Peace Action
Peace Corps Iran Association
Ploughshares Fund
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Rethinking Foreign Policy
Truman Center for National Policy
Truman National Security Project
VoteVets
Win Without War
Women's Action for New Directions (WAND)
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to give voice to the Iranian-American community. From being the trusted voice on U.S.- Iran relations, to pushing forth legislation that protects individuals of Iranian heritage from systematic discrimination, to celebrating our cultural heritage, NIAC creates a lasting impact in the lives of the members of our community.
(202) 386-6325LATEST NEWS
Amid Spying Fight, House Passes Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act
"As FANFSA and the 702 reauthorization move to the Senate, lawmakers in that chamber need to take a stand for the rights of people in the United States," said one advocate.
Apr 17, 2024
While applauding the U.S. House of Representatives' bipartisan passage of a bill to ensure that "law enforcement and intelligence agencies can't do an end-run around the Constitution by buying information from data brokers" on Wednesday, privacy advocates highlighted that Congress is trying to extend and expand a long-abused government spying program.
The House voted 219-199 for Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act (FANFSA), which won support from 96 Democrats and 123 Republicans, including the lead sponsor, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio). Named for the constitutional amendment that protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, H.R. 4639 would close what campaigners call the data broker loophole.
"The privacy violations that flow from law enforcement entities circumventing the Fourth Amendment undermine civil liberties, free expression, and our ability to control what happens to our data," said Free Press Action policy counsel Jenna Ruddock. "These impacts affect everyone who uses digital platforms that extract our personal information any time we open a browser or visit social media and other websites—even when we go to events like demonstrations and other places with our phones revealing our locations."
"We're grateful that the House passed these vital and popular protections," she added. "The bill would prevent flagrant abuses of our privacy by government authorities in league with unscrupulous third-party data brokers. Making this legislation into law with Senate passage too would be a decisive and long-overdue action against government misuse of this clandestine business sector that traffics in our personal data for profit."
Wednesday's vote followed the House sending the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act to the Senate. H.R. 7888 would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows for warrantless spying on noncitizens abroad but also sweeps up Americans' data.
The House notably included an amendment forcing a wide range of individuals and businesses to cooperate with government spying operations but rejected an amendment that would have added a warrant requirement to the bill, which the Senate could vote on as soon as Thursday.
Noting those decisions on the FISA reauthorization legislation, Ruddock stressed that "today's vote is a victory but follows a recent loss and ongoing threat as that Section 702 bill moves to the Senate this week too."
"As FANFSA and the 702 reauthorization move to the Senate, lawmakers in that chamber need to take a stand for the rights of people in the United States," she argued. "That means passing FANFSA and reforming Section 702 authority—and prioritizing everyone's First and Fourth Amendment rights."
Jeramie Scott, senior counsel and director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center's Project on Surveillance Oversight, also praised the House's FANFSA passage on Wednesday.
"The passage of the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale underscores the extent to which reining in abusive warrantless surveillance is a bipartisan issue," Scott said. "We urge the Senate to take up this measure and close the data broker loophole."
Kia Hamadanchy, senior policy counsel at ACLU, similarly said Wednesday that "the bipartisan passage of this bill is a flashing warning sign to the government that if it wants our data, it must get a warrant."
Hamadanchy added that "we hope this vote puts a fire under the Senate to protect their constituents and rein in the government's warrantless surveillance of Americans, once and for all."
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a critic of the pending 702 bill and FANFSA's lead sponsor in the upper chamber, called the the House's Wednesday vote "a huge win for privacy" and said that "now it's time for the Senate to follow suit."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Leaked Cables Show Biden Pressuring Nations to Oppose Palestine's UN Membership
"This is the evidence that President Biden's talk about a two-state solution is nothing but idle talk," said one former Lebanese diplomat.
Apr 17, 2024
As the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote Thursday on Palestine's bid to become a full U.N. member, the Biden administration—which claims to support Palestinian statehood—is lobbying UNSC nations in an effort to wrangle enough "no" votes so that the United States can avoid resorting to a veto.
Leaked cables obtained by The Intercept show U.S. pressure on Security Council members including Malta—which currently presides over the body—and Ecuador.
While claiming that President Joe Biden backs "Palestinian aspirations for statehood," one of the cables asserts that "it remains the U.S. view that the most expeditious path toward a political horizon for the Palestinian people is in the context of a normalization agreement between Israel and its neighbors."
"We therefore urge you not to support any potential Security Council resolution recommending the admission of 'Palestine' as a U.N. member state, should such a resolution be presented to the Security Council for a decision in the coming days and weeks," the document advises.
The U.S. argument essentially is that the U.N. should not create an independent Palestinian state by fiat—even though that's precisely how the world body voted in 1947 to establish the modern state of Israel.
The renewed push for Palestine's U.N. membership comes as Israel wages a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority, which hasn't controlled Gaza for nearly two decades, rejected the Biden administration's requests to hold off on seeking full membership.
"We wanted the U.S. to provide a substantive alternative to U.N. recognition. They didn't," one unnamed Palestinian official toldAxios on Wednesday. "We believe full membership in the U.N. for Palestine is way overdue. We have waited more than 12 years since our initial request."
As The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw noted:
Since 2011, the U.N. Security Council has rejected the Palestinian Authority's request for full member status. On April 2, the Palestinian Observer Mission to the U.N. requested that the council once again take up consideration of its membership application. According to the first State Department cable, U.N. meetings since the beginning of April suggest that Algeria, China, Guyana, Mozambique, Russia, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, and Malta support granting Palestine full membership to the U.N. It also says that France, Japan, and Korea are undecided, while the United Kingdom will likely abstain from a vote.
Along with the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom are permanent members of the UNSC, so they also have veto power.
Ahead of Thursday's planned vote, Spain has been doing its own lobbying in Europe to build greater support for Palestinian statehood. At a joint Tuesday press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the question is "when, not if, but when is the best moment to recognize Palestine."
Belgium—which is seeking economic sanctions against Israel in response to its genocidal war on Gaza—is expected to join Spain's push for Palestinian statehood after the country's European Union presidency expires in June.
Currently, 139 of the U.N.'s 193 member states recognize Palestine as an independent state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who has also claimed to support a so-called "two-state solution"—has alternately boasted about thwarting Palestinian statehood.
Critics pointed to the leaked cables as more proof of U.S. duplicity and double standards on the Israel-Palestine issue.
"This is the evidence that President Biden's talk about a two-state solution is nothing but idle talk," Massoud Maalouf, a former Lebanese ambassador to Canada, Chile, and Poland, said on social media.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Database Exposes 'Illicit Network Undermining Democracy Around the World'
Yanis Varoufakis hailed the effort as "a treasure chest of well-researched reports on how the reactionaries of the world unite."
Apr 17, 2024
"Coups. Assassinations. Riots. Detentions. Disinformation. We know the tactics that have been deployed to undermine our democracies. But who is behind them?"
Progressive International (PI) asks and answers this and other questions with an extensive new database published Wednesday that connects the dots in what the leftist group calls the "Reactionary International"—a loose global network of right-wing leaders and organizations working to subvert democratic institutions.
PI calls it an "illicit network undermining democracy around the world."
"Today is a mask-off moment for the Reactionary International and the parties, politicians, judges, journalists, foundations, think tanks, tech platforms, NGOs, activists, financiers, and entrepreneurs that comprise it," PI said.
"After a year of preparation, we finally open the doors to our new research consortium, exposing the global network of reactionary forces that corrode our democracies, destroy our planet, and drive us closer to world war," the group added.
"The twin insurrections at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 and Brasília's Three Powers Plaza in 2023 left no doubt about the international coordination of reactionary forces," PI argued. "Yet far too little is known about the entities of this network, their sources of financing, and their institutional allies operating inside our political systems."
Ultimately, PI aims to "support democratic systems to become more resilient to their insidious tactics."
From leaders like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and former U.S. President Donald Trump—the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee—to evangelical Christian groups influencing laws in African countries criminalizing LGBTQ+ people and tech companies empowering ubiquitous state surveillance, Reactionary International is a who's-who of the world's right-wing forces.
A cursory search of the database's contents shows users can:
- Learn about Israel's NSO, Rayzone, and Team Jorge, and how a team of Tel Aviv tech entrepreneurs fuel unrest in Latin America;
- Meet the Grey Wolves, Turkey's roving death squad with links to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ethno-nationalists in his governing coalition; and
- Explore the global network of the Falun Gong, its Trump-connected media outlet The Epoch Times, and its traveling dance troupe known as Shen Yun.
Yanis Varoufakis, a PI member and secretary-general of the left-wing Democracy in Europe Movement 2025, called the database "a treasure chest of well-researched reports on how the reactionaries of the world unite."
PI invites the public to contribute to the database.
"Together, we will not only name, shame, and expose the forces of the far right—but also dismantle their network of complicity," the group said.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular