February 7, 2017

The Honorable Ed Royce

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs
U.S. House of Representatives
2170 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Royce:

With the presidential transition now complete, the time has come for a complete
reassessment of U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran. As Americans of Iranian
heritage and Iranian dissidents, we see such a rethink as a necessary first step in realizing
President Donald Trumps vision of putting Americas national security interests first.

Specifically, we write to request a congressional hearing on the efforts of Tehrans

theocratic regime to influence U.S. policy and public diplomacy toward Iran. We ask that
you launch an investigation into any and all lobbying activities of Iranian-American
groups, which ostensibly promote the interests of our community but whose real goal is
to undermine long-term U.S. national-security interests in Iran and its neighborhood.

We also ask that you launch an inquiry into the Voice of Americas Persian service,
whose bloated budget is the largest of all language services under the VOA. There have
been numerous instances of editorials by the VOAs Persian service that have been
lenient or favorable to Irans clerical despots. We consider this to be totally unacceptable
and demoralizing for pro-democracy Iranians who watch these broadcasts.

We stand ready to provide any and all support that you and your colleagues may require
for such hearings. We appreciate your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Peter Kohanloo, President, Iranian American Majority (IAM)

Khosrow Akmal PhD, Fmr. Iranian Ambassador to Australia
Houman David Hemmati MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, USC Keck School of Medicine
Hossein Khorram, Real Estate Developer
Pooya Dayanim, Esq., President, Iranian Jewish Public Affairs Committee
Reza Parchizadeh, Political Theorist and Analyst
Saba Farzan, Executive Director, Foreign Policy Circle and Board Member, IAM
Sheema Kalbasi, Human Rights Activist
Slater Bakhtavar, Attorney and Senator, National Iranian Congress
Avideh Motmaen Far DO, Human Rights Activist

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Mansoureh Nasserchian, Human Rights Activist
Foad Pashaie, Fmr. Secretary General, Constitutionalist Party of Iran
Shabnam Assadollahi, Writer and Human Rights Activist
Hamid Alizadeh, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Board Member, IAM
Haideh Tavackoli, Activist
Aram Hessami PhD, Professor, Montgomery College
Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, Human Rights Activist
Shirin Tabibzadeh, Activist
Daniel Jafari, Physician
Majid Mohammadi, Sociologist
Sima Tajdini, Artist and Journalist
Mehrdad Rahbar, Architect and Artist
Behzad Mehrani, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Political Activist
Kaveh Taheri, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Journalist
Shayan Arya, Member, Constitutionalist Party of Iran and Human Rights Activist
Roya Araghi PhD, Fmr. Prisoner of Conscience and Human Rights Activist
Cyrus S. Shahrazi, Entrepreneur and Activist
Ali Kimiai, New York Persian Parade
Siavash Afshar, President, California Pacific Regional Center
Afshin Afshin Jam, Political and Human Rights Activist
Rouzbeh Meshkinkhat, Secretary General, Proud Iran Party
Maryam Moazenzadeh, Human Rights Activist
George Haroonian, Activist
Behrouz Khosrozadeh, Political Scientist
Esfandyar Khalaf, Political Analyst
Mohammad Reza Heydari, Fmr. Consul of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Norway
Bardiya Ahoorai, Political Activist
Mahboubeh Hoseinpour, Political Activist
Marjan Mohsenin, Accountant
Banafsheh Zand, Political Analyst and Activist
Zaman Feyli, Journalist
Daniel Tousi, Political Activist
Behieh Jailani, Sociologist
Kambiz Soltanein, Journalist
Ali Asghar Haghdar, Hellman-Hammett Award-Winning Writer and Political Refugee
Pari Asgari, Radio Host
Masoumeh Mohammadinia, Radio Host
Farid Khavari, Economist
Amir Ezati, Writer and Filmmaker
Parivash Saadati, Political Activist
Roxanne Ganji, Political Analyst and Activist
Firouzeh Ghaffarpour, Political Analyst and Activist
Damon Golriz, Research Fellow, Intl Peace, Justice & Security, The Hague University
Abdolreza Ahmadi, Board Chairman, Association for the Promotion of Open Society
Ahmad Eshghyar, Engineer and Co-founder of Iranian Liberal Students & Graduates
Ali Ashtari PhD, Electrical Engineering Researcher

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Ali Nazari, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Digital Media Professional
Alireza Kiani, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Member, ILSG
Amir Hossein Etemadi, Executive Director, International Center for Liberalism Studies
Amir Yahya Ayatollahi, Researcher in Iranian Studies
Fred Saberi, Human Rights Activist
Hamed Sheibanyrad, Research Fellow, French National Center for Scientific Research
Hanif Hossein Doust, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Political Activist
Kaveh Shirzad, Civil Rights Activist
Maryam Moghaddam, Human Rights Activist
Masood Masjoodi, Mathematician and Political Activist
Mehdi Jalali Tehrani, Researcher
Meisam Mehrani, Human Rights Activist and Member, ILSG
Nikahang Kowsar, Journalist and Cartoonist
Nima Rashedan, Political Analyst and Digital Democracy Researcher
Ramin Parham PhD, Author and Political Analyst
Salman Sima, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Member, ILSG
Siavash Safavi, Fmr. Political Prisoner and Comedian
Youhan Najdi PhD, Executive Director, Association for the Promotion of Open Society
Khosrow Beitollahi, Secretary General, Constitutionalist Party of Iran
Bahman Zahedi, Activist
Nader Zahedi PhD, Undersecretary General, Constitutionalist Party of Iran
Hassan Mansoor PhD, Professor, American Graduate School of Business & Economics
Heidar Boroumand MD
Ahmad Mazahery, Activist
Bahman Amirhosseini, Political Activist
Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Executive Director, International Center for Human Rights
Mohammad Izadi, Essayist
Farshad Doustipour, Political Activist
Babak Ejlali, Political Activist
Ashkan Yazdchi, Fmr. Political Prisoner
Samuel Toca, Social Activist and Artist
Kevin Fatemi, Engineer
Danesh Foroughi, Psychologist
Farzad Farahani, Television Host and Activist

CC: The Honorable Eliot Engel, Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee