Trita Parsi, a co‑founder of the Quincy Institute and former NIAC leader, is slated to speak at Yale, prompting criticism from some in the Iranian‑American community who allege he has lobbied to lift sanctions and advanced positions favorable to the Iranian regime. Supporters say the event is a forum for debate on realism and restraint in foreign policy. The appearance comes as nationwide protests in Iran—reported by some outlets to have resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands injured—continue to draw international attention. Yale has yet to comment on the controversy.
Controversy at Yale: Trita Parsi To Speak as Critics Accuse Him of Advancing Iranian Regime Interests
Demonstrators burn pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside the Iranian embassy during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Jan. 12, 2026.(Getty Images)
Trita Parsi, co‑founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, is scheduled to speak at Yale University at an event hosted by the John Quincy Adams Society. The invitation has drawn criticism from some members of the Iranian‑American community and foreign‑policy observers amid ongoing unrest in Iran.
Allegations and Criticism
Shay Khatiri, a senior fellow at the Yorktown Institute who grew up in northern Iran and has lived in Tehran, told Fox News Digital that Parsi and his former organization, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), have been accused of lobbying to lift sanctions and of promoting the interests of the Islamic Republic. Khatiri characterized Parsi’s public statements about Iran’s anti‑regime protests as misleading.
Demonstrators burn a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, in Holon, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
“[Parsi] founded this group called the National Iranian American Council, NIAC. That was really a lobbying group to promote lifting sanctions and what would eventually become the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the Iran nuclear deal,” Khatiri said.
“There has been huge suspicion among the Iranian diaspora and broader foreign policy community in Washington, D.C., that Parsi and his group have been...promoting the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Khatiri added.
Parsi’s Supporters Respond
The Quincy Institute pushed back, describing the campus appearance as an opportunity for students to engage in debate. Jessica Rosenblum, director of communications for the Quincy Institute, told Fox News Digital the event is a single seminar on the Monroe Doctrine and the principles of realism and restraint.
“It is a shame that, rather than engaging in substantive conversations about topics at the forefront of the news, a handful of protesters are resorting to the same cancel culture tactics,” Rosenblum said.
Context: Protests in Iran
Iran has experienced sustained protests since December amid economic hardship and political grievances. Those demonstrations have been met at times with lethal force by security forces. A reviewed assessment reported by The Sunday Times cited estimates that Iranian security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000; those figures are contested and vary across sources.
Yale has faced mounting criticism for what opponents describe as a left-leaning ideological climate, particularly on foreign policy and national security issues.
Khatiri criticized Parsi’s suggestion that change could be achieved by working with elements inside Iran’s existing system, arguing that many in the diaspora and on the ground find that approach unacceptable.
Campus Reaction and Broader Debate
Yale did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the event. The university has faced criticism from some quarters for perceived left‑leaning bias: a Yale Daily News review of faculty political donations found none of 1,099 tracked donations went to Republican candidates or causes, and separate research by the Buckley Institute reported that 27 of Yale’s 43 undergraduate departments had no Republican faculty members.
A report revealed that 0% of the political donations made by professors in 2025 went to Republicans.
Lawmakers and commentators weighed in: Rep. Darrell Issa criticized Democratic administrations for their Iran policies, and former President Donald Trump called for new leadership in Iran and voiced support for protesters.
What’s Next
Fox News Digital reported it reached out to both the John Quincy Adams Society at Yale and to Trita Parsi for comment and had not received responses. The scheduled seminar is likely to remain a focal point for debate about campus free speech, U.S. policy toward Iran, and how diaspora communities interpret advocacy and engagement.
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