#BREAKING
U.S. charges political scientist Kaveh Afrasiabi with acting as an agent of #Iran's regime.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/political-scientist-author-charged-acting-unregistered-agent-iranian-government

Afrasiabi is a known Tehran apologist & strongly defends the world's number one terrorist Qassem Soleimani.

"Afrasiabi was actually a secret employee of the Government of Iran & the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN who was being paid to spread their propaganda.... he intentionally avoided registering with the Dept. of Justice as the Foreign Agents Registration Act required."

“Mr. Afrasiabi never disclosed to a congressman, journalists or others who hold roles of influence in our country that he was being paid by #Iran's gov to paint an untruthfully positive picture of the nation."

Afrasiab on CNN with Amanpour & Reza Aslan, all Iran apologists.

"For more than a decade, Mr. Afrasiabi was allegedly paid, directed & controlled by #Iran's gov to lobby U.S. gov officials, including a congressman; and to create & disseminate information favorable to the Iranian gov."

Seen here with former regime president Mohammad Khatami.

"Afrasiabi has also been secretly employed by the Iranian government and paid by Iranian diplomats assigned to the Permanent Mission of the IMUN. Afrasiabi has been paid approximately $265,000 in checks drawn on the IMUN’s official bank accounts since 2007..."

"... and has received health insurance through the IMUN’s employee health benefit plans since at least 2011."

Afrasiabi had direct contact with #Iran's Foreign Minister @JZarif, according to the U.S. Justice Department, and proposed "retaliation" following the killing of former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani.

And we know of Zarif's very close relationship with Soleimani.

More on Afrasiabi's direct connection with Zarif & how none of his work would have been possible without support from #Iran's regime.

It is worth noting that Afrasiabi was interviewed by the likes of Asieh Namdar, a known #Iran apologist/lobbyist who has direct ties with Tehran's DC-based lobby group @NIACouncil.

Iran's regime's trust Namdar and she has been granted interviews with Zarif.

The @TheJusticeDept & the @FBI should continue their investigations into #Iran's network of apologists/lobbyists in the U.S.

Here are a few names to begin with.

. @hmousavian is another #Iran lobbyist in the U.S. and @Princeton has yet explained why they have hired such an individual who has a terrorist past.

See this thread https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1125422061894230016?s=20

Afrasiab & Mousavian were provided a platform by @nytimes to push #Iran's talking points, calling on the West to further appease #Iran's regime & provide a list of concessions along with "recognizing the regime's rights."

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/12/opinion/critical-threshold-in-the-iran-crisis.html

2009 event held by #Iran's UN mission featuring Afrasiabi criticizing media coverage of the regime's crackdown of the 2009 protests. Afrasiabi was interviewed by Iran's state TV because the regime knows they can count on him.

. @hmajd was also attending that event.

Majd is known for his very close ties with Zarif & former regime president Mohammad Khatami.

Majd also played an inside role in the 2015 nuclear talks.

More on Afrasiabi's direct ties with senior officials of #Iran's regime

-former regime president Mohammad Khatami
-Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
-Mahmoud Vaezi, chief of staff of regime President @HassanRouhani

. @tparsi, founder of #Iran's DC-based lobby group @NIACouncil, should also be investigated by DOJ & FBI for his direct ties with Tehran's regime.

Thread on Trita Parsi https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1333428503442763776?s=20

An important piece on NIAC by @michaeldjohnsjr.

“The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) frequently echoes Tehran’s rhetoric in redirecting blame at the U.S. for Iranian aggression and malfeasance.” https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/10/an-iran-lobby-in-america/

NIAC is a “pro-Tehran advocacy group with deep ties to the Iranian regime, played a key role in the Obama admin's pro-Iran ‘echo chamber,’ which misled Congress & the American people about the terms of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.” https://freebeacon.com/national-security/congress-seeks-investigation-into-pro-iran-lobby-group-tied-to-tehran-regime/