We are a group of Iranian civil society activists, intellectuals, journalists, lawyers, university professors, scholars of religion, senior members of political parties, and reformists. We are writing to you at this historic moment in the relations between our two countries to make an appeal for your support of the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
We have long been committed to upholding the values of tolerance, pluralism, human rights, and the peaceful relations between nations. We deeply believe that a just and reasonable solution for international disputes is achieved through negotiation, not by the right of power and the imposing of unilateral views on others. We strongly believe that if this nuclear agreement is approved and implemented, it holds the promise of the gradual realization of such universal values within Iran, along with the possibility of better relations between our two nations.
We are deeply concerned about the consequences that might result from the rejection of this nuclear agreement. Economic sanctions against Iran would increase, as would the likelihood of war. This would be a catastrophe for the Middle East. Another war in this region would strengthen the forces of extremism and undermine the forces that work for nonviolence, peace and reconciliation; the ripple effects of another war would be felt far and wide, and would destabilize the international system for years to come.
For all these reasons, we appeal to you at this critical juncture in history. We urge you to seize this unique opportunity and to impress upon your elected representatives in Congress the importance of supporting this nuclear agreement. Another opportunity of this magnitude may not present itself again in our lifetime. We owe it to future generations of Iranians, Americans, and Middle Easterners to raise our collective voices in support of peace and diplomacy.
We look forward to a day in the future when Iranians no longer have to write open letters to Americans but can meet face to face with mutual respect and dignity based on shared values that bind us together as citizens of this planet.
Sincerely,
Masoud Adib, professor of philosophy
Alireza Alavitabar, professor of political science
Hussein Ansari-Rad, former member of parliament
Faizullah Arabsorkhi, political activist, senior member of Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, former deputy minister of commerce
Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, secretary general of the Solidarity Party (Hambastegi Party)
Mustafa Badkoubehei, poet
Emadeddin Baghi, founder and director, Committee for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights
Hossein Bani-Asadi, deputy prime minister of the provisional government, political activist, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Abolfazl Bazargan, deputy prime minister, political activist, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Safa Bitaraf, political activist
S.M.A. Dadkhah, lawyer, senior expert in international law
Mohammad Davari, senior member of Teachers Association of Iran
Ghaffar Farzadi, professor of mathematics, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
A.A. Gharavi, political activist and scholar of religion
Farideh Gheirat, lawyer, former vice president of Iranian Bar Association
Mohammad Ghouchani, journalist and chief editor, Mehrnameh magazine, senior member of Kargozaran Party
Hadi Hadizadeh, university professor of physics, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Jamshid Haghgoo, former head of Iran-Italy Chamber of Commerce, political activist
S.S. Haghighat, professor of political science
Ali Mohammad Hazeri, professor of sociology
Gholamhossein Karbaschi, secretary general, Kargozaran Party, former mayor of Tehran
Hossein Kashefi, political activist, senior member of Unity of Islamic Iran Party
Mohammad-Reza Khatami, M.D., professor, former member of parliament, former deputy minister of health
Mohammad Kianoush Rad, political activist, former member of parliament
Asghar Kimiaee, scholar of religion
Hamidreza Reza Jalaeipour, professor of sociology
Lotfollah Meisami, journalist, chief editor, and publisher of Cheshmandaz magazine
Seyyed Ali Mir-Mousavi, professor of political science
Mostafa Moeen, M.D., professor, former minister of science and reformist presidential candidate
Badressadat Mofidi, journalist
Abdullah Momeni, former leader of Islamic Students Association
Ahmad Montazeri, scholar of religion
Minoo Mortazi, member, Mothers for Peace
Movaheddi Savouji, professor of Qur’anic interpretation
Javad Mozaffar, author and publisher of Kavir Publications
Mohammad Naeemipor, former member of parliament, political activist
Ali Nazary, journalist, publisher, and chief editor, Paytakht Kohan magazine, former member of parliament
Saleh Nikbakht, lawyer
Abdullah Nouri, former minister of interior
Jafar Panahi, film director
Ahad Rezaei, political activist, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Hashem Sabbaghian, former deputy prime minister and minister of interior of the provisional government, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Hamed Sahabi, political activist, publisher and chief editor, Iran-Farda magazine
Kayone Samimi, journalist, political activist
Mashaallah Shamsolvaezin, journalist
Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaee, lawyer, member of Tehran Bar Association, professor of law
Azam Taleghani, secretary general of Society of Islamic Revolution Women of Iran, publisher and chief editor of Payam-e Ibrahim magazine
Mohammad Tavassoli, former mayor of Tehran, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Gholam Abbas Tavassoli, professor of social sciences, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Ebrahim Yazdi, former deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, secretary general of Freedom Movement of Iran
Parviz Zandi-Nia, professor of technology, senior member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Sadegh Zibakalam, professor of political science