April 1, 2025
Dear Secretary Rubio,
On behalf of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), I write to urge a resolute and principled U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran that prioritizes human rights and the well-being of the Iranian people. For decades, the regime in Tehran has been a leading sponsor of global terrorism and a source of regional instability. At the same time, the regime has systematically repressed its own citizens, as illustrated by the regime’s brutal response to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests that has been investigated by the United Nations Human Rights Council's independent international fact-finding mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran since its establishment in 2022. As Iran continues to violate human rights and suppress fundamental freedoms, the United States must stand firmly in support of those seeking a future marked by dignity, justice, and human rights.
The Iranian people—especially women, students, and religious and ethnic minorities—have repeatedly demonstrated extraordinary courage in demanding their rights despite brutal repression. Over the past two and a half years, the Iranian regime has committed gross human rights violations, including physical and psychological torture, rape, and enforced disappearances, which have disproportionally affected women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. In 2024, the Iranian government executed at least 901 people, including Iranian Jew Arvin Ghahremani and many people connected to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement. The voices of the Iranian people deserve the full support of the international community, and the United States has a vital role to play in amplifying their calls for justice and accountability.
A policy that reinforces the Iranian people’s fundamental freedoms, including their right to speak out without fear of persecution, aligns with American values and strategic interests and contributes to greater stability in the Middle East. This includes ensuring that U.S. policies and actions bolster those working for a more open and just society while increasing pressure on the regime for its ongoing human rights violations and destabilizing activities.
The Iranian people deserve to live with human dignity, the rule of law, and coexistence. We urge you to make clear, through words and deeds, that the United States stands with the Iranian people in their pursuit of fundamental freedoms.
Specifically, we ask that the United States:
- Provide material support for organizations and individuals inside of Iran working to protect and advance the freedoms of Iranian citizens.
- Supply a free and independent internet connection to the public of Iran when the regime shuts off or slows down the public’s internet access, a measure that can enable effective grassroots mobilization efforts and protest movements against the regime.
- Restore funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Persian Service, Radio Farda, a vital lifeline of news and analysis – via video, radio, and social media formats – for Iranians desperate for the truth about their country and the world.
- Work to ensure that international organizations are given independent access to Iran’s prison facilities, including the infamous Evin prison, to visit, investigate the conditions of, and provide medical care to the political prisoners held by the regime.
- Continue to enforce and strengthen, where possible, economic sanctions against those institutions and individuals who commit human rights abuses as part of the Administration’s maximum pressure campaign.
Thank you for your leadership on this critical issue. AJC stands ready to support efforts that promote a future in which the Iranian people can live with dignity, free from oppression and fear.
Sincerely,
Ted Deutch
CEO, American Jewish Committee
Edward and Sandra Meyer Office of the CEO
Member of Congress (2010-22)
