Homa Dorothy Parvaz (Persian: هما دوروتی پرواز‎) is an Al Jazeera journalist who entered Syria at Damascus on Friday, April 29, 2011, to cover the Syrian protests^[1] and was not heard from for the next nineteen days. After it was reported that she was missing, campaigns were formed on Twitter and Facebook to press the Syrian government to free her.^[2] Syria revealed that Parvaz had been deported to Iran.^[3] On May 18, 2011, Dorothy was released by Iranian authorities.^[4]

Born in Iran, she holds passports from Iran, Canada, and the United States.^[5]

She joined Al Jazeera in 2010.^[6]

Early life[link]

Homa Dorothy Parvaz was born in October 1971 in Tehran, Iran to an Iranian father and an American mother.^[7] She lived in Iran until she was ten years old, then spent the next four years in Dubai. Parvaz moved to Canada with her family in 1985,^[8] ultimately graduating from a Canadian high school.^[7]

Education[link]

Parvaz obtained her undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of British Columbia.^[9] She subsequently obtained a master's degree in journalism from the University of Arizona.^[7]

She has been the recipient of journalism fellowships at Harvard and Cambridge.^[6]

Career[link]

After obtaining her degree from the University of British Columbia, Parvaz worked for the English language edition of the Asahi Shimbun in Japan.

Following her sojourn in Japan, Parvaz obtained her master's degree in journalism from the University of Arizona. She moved to Seattle in 1999,^[8] where she worked first for The Seattle Times, then as a columnist, feature writer, and ultimately editorial board member for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.^[8] After the latter ceased to exist as a print newspaper, and following her journalism fellowships, she accepted employment with Al Jazeera,^[7] for whom she reported on the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami .^[1]

She is based in Doha, Qatar.^[10]

Disappearance[link]

Parvaz arrived in Syria on Friday, April 29, 2011, via Qatar Airways^[6] to cover recent protests there for Al Jazeera.^[11] She was not heard from after landing at the airport, and it was suspected that she had been detained at the airport. Her family feared for her safety.^[7] Syria's efforts to limit foreign media coverage of recent events had previously led to the detention of numerous journalists.^[12]

On May 2, 2011, Parvaz's family released the following statement:^[6]

"Dorothy Parvaz is a dearly loved daughter, sister and fiancée. We haven't heard from her in four days and believe that she is being held by the Syrian government. Dorothy is a global citizen – she grew up in Iran, UAE, Canada and the United States, where she became a determined journalist.

"She is dedicated to the profession as a force for peace and justice in the world. She has worked at newspapers across the globe, from Japan to Arizona, from Seattle, Washington, to Doha, Qatar, where she now works for Al Jazeera English online.

"She has always known who she was, whether buying groceries for her grandmother in Tehran or covering the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan. She is tough and she is a fighter – no doubt, she is stronger than us. We need to know where she is. We need to know who is holding her, and that she is comfortable. She is very loved. We need to know that she is safe."

Voices calling for her release included her immediate family, her fiancé (Luxembourg-based attorney Todd Barker), Cambridge University, Al Jazeera, and the Iranian government.^[6] With friends around the world, Parvaz's story was widely reported, with press freedom advocacy groups also taking up her cause.^[13] Other voices calling for her release included Amnesty International, the Doha Centre for Media Freedom, Al Karama for Human Rights, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and the U.S. State Department.^[14]

It was reported on May 5, 2011, that Parvaz was being held by the Syrian government,^[15] which Syria confirmed.^[16] Her family and friends called for her release. Facebook and Twitter campaigns were also underway.

It was further reported on May 7, 2011, that U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford met with a senior Syrian official in an attempt to obtain more information about Parvaz. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also asked for information about Parvaz.^[17]

The family released the following additional statement:

"Our family has not heard from Dorothy in six days. While the Syrian government has confirmed that they have detained her, we demand that Dorothy is returned to her loved ones.

"We know that Syria will continue to treat her with the respect she deserves. We will continue to work tirelessly for her return, as will her friends and colleagues across the globe — as will concerned public officials, citizens and journalists who hear Dorothy's story.

"Dorothy Parvaz is a dearly loved daughter, sister and fiancée, and a committed journalist. Dorothy firmly believes that journalism is a force for justice across the globe. We know that Dorothy is staying strong. She is doing her part. Let's do ours to ensure her safe return. We need her released immediately and returned to us."

Syrian newspaper Al Watan reported that the Syrian government claimed Parvaz left Syria on May 1, 2011, after being denied entry to the country because she held a tourist visa instead of a journalist visa.^[18] This claim was unconfirmed, most notably by Parvaz herself.

As of May 11, 2011, unsubstantiated reports had emerged indicating that the Syrian government handed Parvaz over to Iranian authorities and that she might be held in Tehran.^[19][19]

On May 18, 2011, after disappearing on assignment in Syria for 19 days, Dorothy was released and sent back to Doha by Iranian authorities.^[20] By the end of the day, she had released an article detailing her experiences.^[21] Syria claimed she had entered Syria illegally with multiple passports, including an expired Iranian one. However, her passport was extended and stamped upon entry by Syrian immigration. ^[22]

Notes[link]

This article about a journalist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Parvaz
Parvaz Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 36°32′30″N 67°17′38″E / 36.54167°N 67.29389°E / 36.54167; 67.29389Coordinates: 36°32′30″N 67°17′38″E / 36.54167°N 67.29389°E / 36.54167; 67.29389
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Balkh Province
Time zone	+ 4.30

Parvaz is a village in Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Satellite map at Maplandia.com

This Balkh Province, Afghanistan location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Lara Logan
Lara Logan in Iraq
Born	(1971-03-29) 29 March 1971 (age 41) Durban, South Africa
Education	Degree in commerce, 1992
Alma mater	University of Natal, Durban
Occupation	Journalist, since 1988
Employer	CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent (2006–present)
Spouse	Jason Siemon (m. 1998) Joseph Burkett (m. 2008)
Awards	Radio & Television Association David Bloom Award, 2008 American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Award, 2008, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2000 Association of International Broadcasters' Best International News Story Award, 2007 Emmy Award, Overseas Press Club Award, and a Murrow Award, 2008 Murrow Award for "Marines on Patrol in Afghanistan" 2010[1] John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award, 2011[2] John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award, 2011[3] Daniel Pearl Award, 2011[4]
Website
CBS webpage

Lara Logan (born 29 March 1971) is a South African television and radio journalist, and war correspondent. She is the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, and a correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes.

Personal life[link]

Logan was born in Durban, South Africa. She attended high school at Durban Girls' College, and the University of Natal in Durban, graduating in 1992 with a degree in commerce. She went on to earn a diploma in French language, culture and history at the Université de l'Alliance Française in Paris.^[1] She married Jason Siemon, a professional basketball player; in 1998, the marriage ended in divorce. In 2008 she married Joseph Burkett, a U.S. government defense contractor from Texas, U.S.A. whom she met in Afghanistan.^[5] They live in Washington, D.C., with their two-year-old son and Burkett's daughter from a previous marriage.^[6]

Career[link]

Logan interviewing General Norton A. Schwartz, April 2009

Logan worked as a news reporter for the Sunday Tribune in Durban during her studies (1988–1989), then for the city's Daily News (1990–1992). In 1992 she joined Reuters Television in Africa, primarily as a senior producer. After four years she branched out into freelance journalism, obtaining assignments as a reporter and editor/producer with ITN and Fox/SKY, CBS News, ABC News (in London), NBC, and the European Broadcast Union. She also found work with CNN, reporting on incidents such as the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Nairobi and Tanzania, the conflict in Northern Ireland, and the Kosovo war.^[1]

Logan was hired in 2000 by GMTV Breakfast Television (in the UK) as a correspondent; she also worked with CBS News Radio as a freelance correspondent. Days after the September 11 attacks, she asked a clerk at the Russian Embassy in London to give her a visa to travel to Afghanistan. In November 2001, while in Afghanistan working for GMTV, she infiltrated the American-British-backed Northern Alliance and interviewed their commander, General Babajan, at the Bagram Air Base.^[7]

CBS News offered her a full-fledged correspondent position in 2002. She spent much of the next four years reporting from the battlefield, including war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, often embedded with the American Armed Forces. Many of her reports were for 60 Minutes II. She is also a regular contributor to the CBS Evening News, The Early Show and Face The Nation. In February 2006, Logan was promoted to "Chief foreign affairs correspondent" for CBS News.^[1]

Haifa Street fighting[link]

In late January 2007, Logan filed a report of fighting along Haifa Street in Baghdad, but the CBS Evening News did not run the report; deeming it "a bit strong".^[8][9] To reverse the decision, Logan enlisted public support; requesting them to watch the story and pass the link to as many of their friends and acquaintances as possible, saying "It should be seen".^[9][10] Logan later used the Haifa Street material for a 60 Minutes' report on Baghdad during the surge.^{[citation needed]}

Michael Hastings criticism[link]

Logan was criticized in June 2010 for her remarks about another journalist, Michael Hastings, and her view that reporters who embed with the military ought not to write about the general banter they hear. An article by Hastings in Rolling Stone that month quoted General Stanley A. McChrystal and his staff—comments Hastings overheard while traveling with McChrystal—criticizing U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden and other officials, after which President Obama fired McCrystal as his commander in Afghanistan.^[11] Logan told CNN that Hasting's reporting had violated an unspoken agreement between reporters who travel with military personnel not to report casual comments that pass between them.^[12]

Quoting her statement, "I mean, the question is, really, is what General McChrystal and his aides are doing so egregious, that they deserved to end a career like McChrystal’s? I mean, Michael Hastings has never served his country the way McChrystal has," CNN's former chief military correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, said that it was indeed egregious, and her comments reinforced the worst stereotype of embedded reporters. He went on to quote Admiral Mike Mullen's statement that military personnel are required to be neutral and should not criticize civilian leaders.^[13]

Glenn Greenwald of Salon wrote that she had done courageous reporting over the years, but had come to see herself as part of the government and military.^[14]

Reporting from Egypt and sexual abuse[link]

Logan and her CBS crew were arrested and detained for one night by the Egyptian Army on 3 February 2011, while covering the Egyptian Revolution. She said the crew was blindfolded and handcuffed at gunpoint, and their driver beaten. They were advised to leave the country, but were later released.^[15]

On 15 February 2011, CBS News released a statement that Logan had been beaten and sexually assaulted on 11 February, while covering the celebrations in Tahrir Square following Hosni Mubarak's resignation.^[16] CBS 60 Minutes broadcast an interview with her about it on 1 May 2011; she said she was speaking out because of the prevalence of sexual assault in Egypt, and to break the silence about the sexual violence women reporters are reluctant to report in case it prevents them from doing their jobs.^[17]

She said the incident involved 200–300 men and lasted around 25 minutes. She had been reporting the celebrations for an hour without incident when her camera battery failed. One of the Egyptian CBS crew suggested they leave, telling her later he heard the crowd make inappropriate sexual comments about her. She felt hands touching her, and can be heard shouting "stop", just as the camera died. One of the crowd shouted that she was an Israeli, a Jew, a claim that CBS said, though false, was a "match to gasoline". She went on to say that they tore off her clothes and, in her words, raped her with their hands, while taking photographs with their cellphones. They began pulling her body in different directions, pulling her hair so hard she said it seemed they were trying to tear off chunks of her scalp. Believing she was dying, she was dragged along the square to where the crowd was stopped by a fence, alongside which a group of women were camping. One woman wearing a chador put her arms around Logan, and the others closed ranks around her, while some men who were with the women threw water at the crowd. A group of soldiers appeared, beat back the crowd with batons, and one of them threw Logan over his shoulder. She was flown back to the U.S. the next day, where she spent four days in the hospital.^[17] She was contacted by President Obama when she arrived home.^[18] CBS said it remained unclear who the attackers were, and unlikely that any will be prosecuted.^[17]

See also[link]

• Women in journalism and media professions

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lara Logan

• Profile at CBS News
• Lara Logan on Charlie Rose
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Lara Logan at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Lara Logan in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Lara Logan at the Notable Names Database
• About.com's Profile of Lara Logan, CBS Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent
• Logan appears on CNN's Reliable Sources with host Howard Kurtz- Responds to question, "Are Media Turning Against War in Iraq?" (transcript)
• Logan appears in Marvin Kalb's "The Kalb Report".

Mellissa Fung is a Canadian journalist with CBC News, appearing regularly as a field correspondent on The National.

Education and career[link]

Fung and her younger sister^[1] are the daughters of Kellog and Joyce Fung.^[2] She was born in Hong Kong,^[3] and her family moved to Vancouver when she was four years old.^[1] There, she attended an all-girls Catholic high school,^[1] then completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia where she contributed regularly to the student-run newspaper The Ubyssey.^[4] After graduating in 1994, she earned a Master's degree from Columbia School of Journalism in 1995. From February 2001 to 2003 she reported for CBC-TV News in Vancouver. Since December 2003, she has served as a national reporter for CBC Television, working out of Toronto and Regina.^[4]

In her time as a national correspondent she has covered numerous topics on both Canadian and world affairs, including the Robert Pickton trial, the 2003 SARS outbreak in Canada, the trial of Mike Danton, the 2007 Saskatchewan provincial election, 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and uncovering Canada's international sales of toxic asbestos. In 2007 and 2008 she was sent on assignment to Afghanistan to cover the Canadian military presence there.

2008 kidnapping[link]

In late 2008, Fung was sent on her second assignment to Afghanistan, based out of the Canadian military base at Kandahar.^[2]

On October 12, while en route to a refugee camp near Kabul, she was kidnapped by armed men. Fung alerted her employer herself using her mobile phone and stated that the kidnappers were not Taliban but "bandits".^[2] Her translator and driver—two Afghan brothers named Shokoor Feroz and Qaem Feroz—were beaten and left behind by the kidnappers. Before her captors abandoned her for the last week, she was blindfolded and chained to the inside of a tiny, dark cave. Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman in the eastern part of the county, told The Canadian Press that another Islamist group called Hizb-e-Islami was responsible for the abduction.^[5] They were later implicated by Afghan authorities in the kidnapping and detained,^[4] though CBC publisher John Cruickshank expressed confidence in them and stated that they were worried about their conditions in prison.^[6]

The kidnapping occurred two days before the 2008 Canadian federal election, and CBC requested a press blackout while negotiations were conducted with the kidnappers, out of concern that widespread media coverage would complicate matters.^[7] Though the incident was covered in Afghan press,^[8] the blackout was honoured by all Canadian media and Fung's kidnapping remained generally unknown within Canada.

Fung was finally released on November 8, 2008 after weeks of negotiations.^[9] A spokesman for the governor of Wardak Province indicated that local tribal elders and provincial council members negotiated Fung's release and that no ransom was paid.^[10] However, it was later revealed that Afghan intelligence determined the identity of the kidnapper, abducted his family, then demanded Fung be released in a prisoner exchange.^[11]

She was interviewed about her kidnapping on November 12, 2008, by CBC Radio's Anna Maria Tremonti, in Dubai.^[12] The interview later earned Tremonti and Fung a gold medal at the 2009 New York Festivals Radio Programming and Promotion Awards.^[13]

Fung wrote the book Under an Afghan Sky about her experiences. During an interview with a columnist from The Globe and Mail, she said “I thought it might be cathartic...But it wasn’t.”^[1] On May 5, 2011, Fung was interviewed by CBC radio and CBC TV to talk about her experience and her book.^[14][15]

References[link]

	British Columbia portal
	Biography portal

Iranian American
ایرانیان_آمریکا

Shaahin Cheyene • Anousheh Ansari • Pierre Omidyar • Catherine Bell • Lotfi Zadeh Shohreh Aghdashloo • Goli Ameri • Adrian Pasdar Omid Kordestani • Hushang Ansary • Maz Jobrani
Total population
469,569 (2009 ACS)
Regions with significant populations
California, New York, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC.[1]
Languages
American English, Persian minority languages: Azerbaijani, Armenian, Kurdish
Religion
Predominant Religious Groups: Shia Islam, Irreligious[2] Minority Religious Groups: Bahá'í Faith, Christianity, Judaism, Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism.[2]
Related ethnic groups
Azerbaijani American · Kurdish American · Armenian American

This article contains Persian text, written from right to left with some letters joined. Without proper rendering support, you may see unjoined letters written left-to-right, instead of right-to-left or other symbols instead of Persian script.

Iranian-Americans or Persian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.

Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States.^[3][4] Iranian-Americans have historically excelled in business, academia, the sciences, arts and entertainment – but have traditionally shied away from participating in American politics or other civic activities.^[5]

History[link]

Iranian immigration to the United States has been continuous since the 1980s. Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.^[6] Today, the United States contains the highest number of Iranians outside of Iran. The Iranian-American community has produced significant numbers of individuals notable in many fields, including medicine, engineering, and business. The community chiefly expanded in the early 1980s, following the Iranian Revolution and its abolition of the Iranian monarchy.

Terminology[link]

Iranian American is used interchangeably as Persian-American,^{[7][8][9][10]} partially due to the fact^[11] that Iran was called Persia officially prior to 1935; as well as the fact that Iran and Persia continue to be used interchangeably since classic times.^[12] There is a tendency among Iranian-Americans to categorize themselves as "Persian" rather than "Iranian", mainly to disassociate themselves from the Iranian regime and the negativity associated with it.^[7][13] Majority of Iranian-Americans are of Persian-speaking backgrounds, however there is also a significant number of non-Persian Iranians within the Iranian-American community,^[13][14] leading some scholars to believe that the label "Iranian" is more inclusive, since the label "Persian" excludes non-Persian minorities from Iran.^[13] The Collins English Dictionary uses a variety of similar and overlapping definitions for the terms "Persian" and "Iranian".^[15]

Pre- and post-revolution migration[link]

Prior to the Islamic revolution in Iran and the cut off of diplomatic relations between the two countries, America and American universities were very popular among Iranians, and this popularity was a major force in drawing numerous Iranian students to the United States. During the 1977–1978 academic year, of about 100,000 Iranian students abroad, 36,220 were enrolled in American institutions of higher learning. During the 1978–1979 academic year, on the eve of the Iranian revolution, the number of Iranian students enrolled in American institutions rose to 45,340, and in 1979–1980 the number reached a peak of 51,310: at that time, more students from Iran were enrolled in American universities than from any other foreign country. Out of a total of 263,938 foreign student enrollment in the United States in the 1978–1979 academic year, 17% were from Iran^{[citation needed]}. The expansion of Iranian economy and the resultant higher revenues were the cause of investments in students' education abroad, either directly by the government's financial aid services and/or indirectly by the students' families. This investment paid off and resulted in an excellent cohort of Western-educated professionals. Due to Iran's increasing demand for high-level manpower in the years prior to 1979, the majority of students were returning home after graduation to work including those who had received financial aid in exchange to serve the government or industry upon graduation. After the revolution, some returned to Iran to serve the country, but were gradually purged from the newly established Islamic Republic. Some of the students who graduated abroad after the revolution also did not return due to ruling clergy's repression. As the result, the educated elite who left Iran after the revolution and the new graduates in the United States who chose not to return home created a large pool of highly educated and skilled Iranian professionals in the United States. Today, over 1.5 million Iranians have chosen to leave Iran for other countries due to Islamic government's practices.^[16]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Physicians[link]

The earliest Iranian professionals in the U.S. before the 1979 revolution were the physicians^{[citation needed]}. They were mostly young temporary trainees who worked as medical interns or residents. Some established themselves to continue practice beyond the residency stage. Their motives to extend their stay in the United States were more geared towards professional reasons than economics. In 1978, the total number of Iranian physicians in the U.S. had grown to 2,306^{[citation needed]}. Later, those who migrated to the U.S. after the 1979 revolution were mostly experienced physicians who came with their families and intent to stay permanently. At the present time, there are about 5,000^{[citation needed]} Iranian physicians working in the United States who have either their own practices or work in various medical institutions. Based on a count in 2001, out of the 5000 physicians about 80 percent had obtained their primary medical degree in Iran and have gone through advanced training in the United States. Additionally, there are around 3,000 of new generation Iranian American physicians who have received their entire training in various fields in the United States. This increases the total number of Iranian medical doctors in the United States to around 8,000.

Professors[link]

Another major group of highly trained Iranian professionals in the U.S. are university professors. Based on a report that was published by the National Science Foundation in 1998^{[citation needed]}, 1,369 Iranian born professors were teaching engineering and science on a full-time basis in the U.S. The total number of Iranian professors in the U.S. is substantially higher if the Iranians who teach in other fields and part-time lecturers are added in. In 2001, it was estimated that the total number of Iranian professors who teach and research in higher education institutions in the United States was around 4,000.^{[citation needed]}

Demography[link]

Although Iranians have lived in the United States in relatively small numbers since the 1930s, a large number of Iranian-Americans are immigrants to the United States after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 338,000 Americans tracing heritage to Iran. The 2000 U.S. Census undercounted the numbers of many ethnic groups and minorities, including the Iranian-Americans.^[17] The U.S. Government and other sources estimate that the numbers of Iranian-Americans are close to 2 million.^{[18][19][20][21][22][23]}

U.S. Census[link]

Iranian Americans are most likely far more numerous in the United States than census data indicate, according to research done by the Iranian Studies Group, an independent academic organization, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The group estimates that the number of Iranian Americans may have topped 691,000 in 2004—more than twice the figure of 338,000 cited in the 2000 U.S. census.^[3]

According to extrapolated U.S. Census data and other independent surveys done by Iranian-Americans themselves in 2009, there are an estimated 1-1.5 million Iranian-Americans living in the U.S.,^[5] with the largest concentration—about 720,000 people—living around Los Angeles.^[5][24] For this reason, the L.A. area with its Iranian American residents is sometimes referred to as "Tehrangeles" or "Irangeles" among Iranian-Americans.^[25] An NPR report recently put the Iranian population of Beverly Hills as high as 20% of the total population. Other large communities include New York; New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; and Dallas, Texas.^[5] Iranian-American organizations, including the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, the Iranian American Bar Association and the Iranian Alliances Across Borders have banded together to form the 2010 Census Coalition, focusing on educating the Iranian-American diaspora about the 2010 Census.

Education[link]

According to Census 2000, 50.9 percent of Iranian immigrants have attained a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 28.0 percent national average.^[3] According to the latest census data available, more than one in four Iranian-Americans holds a master's or doctoral degree, the highest rate among 67 ethnic groups studied.^[4]

Occupation and income[link]

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently conducted a study that found Iranian immigrants among the top 20 immigrant groups with the highest rate of business ownership, contributing substantially to the U.S. economy. According to the report, there are 33,570 active and contributing Iranian American business owners in the U.S., with a 21.5% business ownership rate. The study also found that the total net business income generated by Iranian Americans is $2,559,450,000.^[26] Almost one in three Iranian American households have annual incomes of more than $100K (compared to one in five for the overall U.S. population).^[27]

According to a study carried out by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Iranian scientists and engineers in the United States own or control around $880 billion.^[28]

Religions and languages[link]

Iranians of all religious backgrounds in the United States have comparatively a mix of liberal, conservative and nationalist political leaning and opinions. Iranian-Americans thus are largely secular and tend to practice moderate, less traditional religious forms, but have strong cultural traditions.

Iranian-Americans are of Shia Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Baha'i, Zoroastrian, Sunni Muslim and irreligious religious backgrounds.^[29][30] "There are religious and ethnolinguistic differences among the Muslim, Jewish, Baha'i, Zoroastrian, Christian, Turkish, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, and Assyrian groups".^[31] The majority of Iranian-Americans are ethnic Persian, with sizeable ethnic minorities being Iranian Azerbaijanis, Iranian Jews, Armenian-Iranians, Iranian Kurds, and others.^[32]

According to one poll, two-fifths of Iranian Americans identify themselves as Muslims. The same poll found that a roughly equal percentage appear not to practice any particular religion at all. The poll found the remaining balance split among Christians, followers of Judaism, Baha'is and Zoroastrians.^[2] Calculating the percentage of Christian Iranian Americans is difficult because many Iranian Christians are of Armenian or Assyrian origin and self-identify as such rather than as Iranian.^[33]

According to Hakimzadeh and Dixon, members of religious and ethnic minorities such as Bahai'is, Jews, Armenians, and Assyrians were disporportionately represented amongst the early exiles of the 1978–79 revolution.^[34]

Citizenship[link]

Nearly all Iranian-Americans are either citizens (81%) or permanent residents (15%) of the United States (2008 survey).^[2]

Politics[link]

Though Iranian-Americans have historically excelled in business, academia and the sciences, they have traditionally shied away from participating in American politics or other civic activities.^[5]

An August 2008 Zogby International poll, commissioned by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, found that approximately one half of Iranian Americans identified themselves as registered Democrats, in contrast to one in eight as Republicans and one in four as independents (2008).^[2]

The same poll indicates that more than half of Iranian Americans cite domestic U.S. issues, including issues that are not unique to Iranian Americans, as the most important to them. In contrast, one quarter of Iranian Americans cite foreign policy issues involving U.S.-Iran relations and less than one in ten cite the internal affairs of Iran as being of greatest importance to them.^[2]

From 1980 to 2004, more than one out of every four Iranian immigrants was a refugee or asylee.^[3] The PAAIA/Zogby poll also cites that almost three-quarters of Iranian Americans believe the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran is the most important issue relating to U.S.-Iran relations. About the same percentage, however, believe diplomacy is the foreign policy approach towards Iran that would be in the best interest of the United States. 84% support establishing U.S. Interest Section in Iran.^[2] Nearly all Iranian Americans surveyed oppose any U.S. military attack against Iran.^[35]

Ties to Iran[link]

According to a survey conducted in 2009, more than six in ten Iranian Americans have immediate family members in Iran, and almost three in ten communicate with their families or friends in Iran at least several times a week. An additional four in ten communicate with their families or friends in Iran at least several times a month. This study indicates an unusually close relationship between Iranian Americans and Iranians.^[35]

Discrimination[link]

According to the Public Affairs of Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), nearly half of Iranian-Americans surveyed in 2008 by Zogby International have experienced or personally know Iranian Americans who have experienced discrimination due to their ethnicity or country of origin. The most common types of discrimination reported are airport security check, social discrimination, racial profiling, employment or business discrimination and discrimination at the hands of immigration officials.^[2]

Notable individuals[link]

Business/technology: Iranian-Americans are among the most educated and successful communities in the U.S., according to a report by Iranian Studies group at MIT, Iranian-Americans have founded and/or participated in senior leadership positions of many major US companies, including many Fortune 500 companies such as GE, Intel, Verizon, Motorola, Google, and AT&T.^[36] Pierre Omidyar, founder/CEO of eBay is of Iranian origin, as well as the founder of BratzIsaac Larian, Shaahin Cheyene founder/CEO of Accelerated Intelligence Inc. is of Iranian origin. In September 2006, Anousheh Ansari, co-founder of the Ansari X Prize became the first female tourist in space. Ansari is also the co-founder and former CEO of Prodea Systems Inc. and Telecom Technologies, Inc. Other well-known Iranian-American entrepreneurs include designer Bijan Pakzad, entrepreneur Sam Nazarian, Omid Kordestani of Google (named as a titan in the Time 100), CEO of YouTube Salar Kamangar and Sina Tamaddon of Apple Inc.

Philanthropy: Many Iranian Americans are active philanthropists and leaders in improving their community. In 2006, the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center was the recipient of a 10 million dollar donation from an Iranian American couple based in Houston, Texas.^[37][38] The University of Southern California was also the recipient of a 17 million dollar gift from an Iranian-American,^[39] as was San Francisco State University which also received a 10 million dollar gift from an Iranian-American couple.,^[40] and Chicago's Swedish Covenant Hospital ($4 million),^[41] Portland State University ($8 million),^[42] and UC Irvine ($30 million),^[43][44] among others.

Science/academia: Well-known Iranian Americans in science include Shahriar Afshar originator of the Afshar experiment, Firouz Naderi director at NASA, Ali Javan inventor of the first gas laser, Lotfi Asker Zadeh, Cumrun Vafa, and Rashid Massumi, M.D., a pioneer in the fields of electrophysiology and cardiology, among others.

Media/entertainment: Well-known media personalities of Americans of Iranian descent include Christiane Amanpour, Asieh Namdar, Roya Hakakian, Yara Shahidi and Rudi Bakhtiar. There are several Iranian American actors, comedians and film crew, including the Academy-Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Shohreh Aghdashloo, actresses Catherine Bell, Sarah Shahi, and Bahar Soomekh, comedian Maz Jobrani, actor Adrian Pasdar, producer Bob Yari, Farhad Safinia, author and performer Shahram Shiva, and Daryush Shokof.

Sports: Professional tennis player Andre Agassi, TNA wrestler Shawn Daivari, professional Mixed Martial Artist Amir Sadollah, and professional soccer players Sobhan Tadjalli, Alecko Eskandarian and Steven Beitashour.

Politics: The son of the late Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, lives in the United States, as well as several high-ranking officials in the Shah's administration such as Hushang Ansary and Jamshid Amouzegar. Goli Ameri is the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs from 2008 to 2009, during which she was the highest-ranking Iranian-American public official in the United States. Beverly Hills elected its first Iranian-born Mayor, Jamshid Delshad, in 2007.^[45][46] In November 2011, Anna M. Kaplan was elected Councilwoman in the Town of North Hempstead, New York, becoming the first Iranian-American to be elected to a major municipal office in New York State.^[47]

See also[link]

	USA portal
	Iran portal

• Iranian citizens abroad
• Iranian nationality law
• Iran-United States relations
• American Iranian Council
• Iranian alliances across borders
• National Iranian American Council
• Iranian American Bar Association
• Little Persia, Los Angeles, California
• Persian palace
• Tehrangeles
• 30 Years After
• Iran-America Society
• Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans

References[link]

External links[link]

• PARSA Community Foundation
• Iranian-American workers by occupation, New York Times
• Iran Census Report (2003): Strength in Numbers – The Relative Concentration of Iranian Americans Across the United States
• Persian American Networking Development (PAND)
• Report into the life of Iranian-Americans from Iranian.com
• Iranian American Bar Association
• American Iranian Council Promoting Iranian American Participation in Civic Life
• National Iranian American Council Promoting Iranian American Participation in American Civic Life
• Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America (IMAN Foundation ,بنیاد ایمان )
• Fact-sheet on the Iranian-American Community (ISG MIT)
• Persiancity.com – Comprehensive Iranian-owned business directory (US & Worldwide)
• Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) National Grassroots Organization Representing the Iranian-American Community
• Migration Information Source -Spotlight on the Iranian Foreign Born
• Iranian-American Organizations
• Iranian American Political Action Committee
• The Silence of the Iranian Lambs, JURIST
• Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB)
• Resolution Condemning Discrimination and Bigotry Against Iranian Americans Re-Introduced in the House
• Persian-American Community Outreach
• Persian Jews politicking on Rodeo Drive
• Network of Iranian American Professionals of Orange County
• Iranian.com, website for the expatriate Iranian community, mostly Iranian-Americans
• Pars Times:Iranian-American Organizations Comprehensive List of Internet Resources
• Middle East Journal The Brain Drain from Iran to the United States by Akbar E. Torbat
• Interest Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington D.C. – Consular affairs
• Survey of American Perceptions of Iranian Americans (2008)
• 2009 National Survey of Iranian Americans
• 2010 Survey of Iranian Americans