Iranian American Republican Council Conference - 2003-04-17

The Iranian American Republican Council held its annual conference for two days in Washington, D.C. last week. The agenda focused on participation in the American political scene, particularly the council's effective involvement in state and local elections, and alignment with President George W. Bush's foreign policy regarding the establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran. In a special session, the council expressed its support for Resolution 140, currently under consideration in the House International Relations Committee. This resolution, prepared by Congressman Tom Lantos, a Democrat from California, has been endorsed by several Republican and Democratic representatives. It discusses the establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran and addresses human rights violations against Iranians, particularly women. Another resolution, numbered 59, presented by Republican Congressman Bob Ney from Ohio, mentions meetings between members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Islamic Parliament. The Iranian American Republican Council expressed its dissatisfaction with the tone and content of Ney's proposed resolution in some respects during a meeting with him. Ney indicated his willingness to remove these issues from his proposal. The council also met with other representatives, including Ed Royce, Roy Blunt, and Darrell Issa, urging them to support Resolution 140, which advocates for freedom and democracy in Iran. Royce and Issa are two members of the House who provided significant assistance to several Iranians detained due to residency issues in the U.S. last year, and they referred to Iranians as a minority with a rich culture and an active group in the political and economic life of America in letters to the Department of Justice and the Citizenship and Immigration Services. At the end of its conference, the Iranian American Republican Council elected Bijan Rafi Kian as its new president.