Issues & Policies

One of PAAIA’s principal missions is to advocate and advance policies and legislation at the local, state and national levels on matters of interest or concern to Iranian Americans and in furtherance of the best interests of our community. As an inclusive, grassroots membership organization, PAAIA is intent on doing so by representing and reflecting the prevailing interests, concerns and views of the Iranian American community at large.

To credibly represent the Iranian American voice on domestic issues that are important to our community, we must first identify these issues, and determine the community's prevailing views and perspectives on them. In August of 2008, PAAIA commissioned Zogby International to conduct a national public opinion survey of Iranian Americans to gather, for the first time, accurate and timely information about the demographics and views of the Iranian American community. The purpose of the 2008 survey was to provide PAAIA with the knowledge required to more effectively represent the Iranian American community, and to further inform and educate the American public at large, as well as U.S. policy makers and opinion makers about Iranian Americans.

Following the historic events that unfolded in Iran in the aftermath of the disputed June 12th presidential election, PAAIA again commissioned Zogby International to conduct a follow-up national survey of Iranian Americans to gauge how their perceptions and views may have shifted as a result of these events. These invaluable surveys were the first of their kind and have been presented to the United States Congress, the media, and the general public to wide acclaim.

Having determined the domestic issues that are of interest or concern to our community, PAAIA will undertake to serve as a resource to inform and educate Iranian Americans about such issues and related policy developments. PAAIA will also work with qualified legal and policy experts to formulate policy positions on such matters that are consistent with the prevailing views in the Iranian American community. PAAIA's advocacy on behalf of the Iranian American community will be on the basis of these policy positions.