AIFC’s July 28 Meeting Report Back

“Meet Our Iranian Family” could have been the title of the American-Iranian Friendship Committee’s (AIFC) July 28^th meeting, held in NYC.   Two Iranian-American families shared their personal slides and videos of their most recent visits with their Iranian family in Iran to a mostly American audience.  In addition, Ms. Sara Flounders of the International Action Center, and Mr. Ardeshir Ommani a co-founder of the AIFC, both scholars of Middle Eastern politics, presented their views on the dynamic social changes in Iran and the significance of the latest shifts in tactics and policies of the U.S. Administration, which continues to threaten Iran with punitive sanctions and aerial bombing, as “no option is off the table,” as stated by both Republican and Democratic Party representatives.

Presentations by the Ommanis and the Shirazis, whose large and diverse families inside Iran depicted both traditional, religious Muslims and secular “westernized” Iranians, gave a real-life and “up-close” picture to a dynamic and complex society often mischaracterized in the U.S. corporate media.  Even Iranian-born nationals who attended the meeting appeared to enjoy viewing scenes in Shiraz, Esfahan and Tehran, judging by their smiles and nods as the three American women talked of their own impressions and experiences.

The presentation also included facts and statistics on the health and welfare of Iranian people.  Sara Flounders reported on some of the improvements in women and children’s conditions. The Islamic Republic’s special emphasis on education in Iran has reduced illiteracy from 52.5 per cent in 1976 under the previous Shah’s government, to just 6.2 per cent, at the last count in 2002, and currently, over 63% of enrollees in colleges and universities are women. Ardeshir Ommani, co-founder of AIFC, noted that the recent bi-lateral meeting between the U.S. and Iran’s ambassadors to Iraq may be reflecting a shift in the White House’s long standing policy of refusing to sit down with Iran, due in large measure to the valiant resistance of the people of Iraq to the U.S. occupation and the public pressure on Washington to extract itself from the “Iraq quagmire.”

There were questions and comments from the audience, numbering about 50 persons, at times erupting into lively debates on some of the Islamic Republic’s social policies, and questions on Iran’s foreign policy goals and statements. If you missed this report back meeting, don’t despair: AIFC is planning another slide show and report very soon, next time in upstate Westchester, where AIFC is based.

------------------------------------------------