The Rising Danger of Iranian Soft Power in the United States

A video of children pledging allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader cast light on groups with ties to the Islamic Republic operating in the United States.

By and
29

An unusual news story emanated from Houston, Texas, late last month. The Islamic Education Center of Houston (IEC) posted a video on YouTube of children singing a Shiite religious song, with pledges of allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A comparison of the background in the video to publicly available images of the IEC show a striking resemblance, leading to the conclusion that the video was likely filmed on-site. 

Following the backlash to the video, the IEC made it private on YouTube. Some saw this as an innocent song with a religious message, while others saw it as a political song in support of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and the supreme leader, which signifies Iranian soft-power influences in the United States. Even those skeptical that the song has sinister meaning and see it as a purely religious performance cannot ignore the Iranian influence brooding beneath the surface. The IEC is a Shiite community center which includes a mosque, organizes community programming, and runs a K-12 private school (Al-Hadi School), as well as a Sunday school. To support the local community, it operates a free health clinic, has a COVID-19 financial assistance program, offers scholarships for higher education, promotes interfaith dialogue, and more. No less importantly, the IEC clearly supports a pro-Iranian regime ideology and may be part of a larger network.

The IEC is currently renting its space from the Alavi Foundation, which rents real estate and financially assists Shiite organizations, some with a clear affinity to the Iranian regime. The foundation was the target of a civil action suit by the Manhattan U.S. attorney, who claimed that the foundation provided services for and funneled money to the Iranian government through Bank Melli, which has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for its services to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force. Though some observers have alleged the relationship between the IEC and the foundation is purely tenant-landlord, the facts suggest otherwise. According to the Alavi Foundation’s website, the IEC serves as a book distribution center for the foundation and received a grant to support the service. 

Additionally, the IEC is listed as having signed petitions supporting the foundation.

Keep reading with a free account
Create a free Dispatch account to keep reading Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
29
By and
Comments (29)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    And now Salman Rushdie has been attacked.

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    DougAz

    Dear Moshe and Jason.

    I don't care about Iran. It will be what it will be. Deal with it.

    The threat to America and the world are the Republicans.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      CVS

      That is, without a doubt, the most ridiculous quote I've heard on The Dispatch and I've had to listen to Pat Riot.

      Do better.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        DougAz

        The truth hurts. Although I will say with the Iranians assassination attempts on Rushdie and Bolton... they are climbing up the bad curve.
        Still - danger to America and Democracy i order:

        1. Republicans
        2. Trump and MAGA legislators
        3. China
        4. Russia
        5. Iran

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          CVS

          No, the "truth" makes me laugh and pity you.

          Trump *is indeed* a serious problem.

          Comparing *any* domestic actor to America's foes abroad is next-level stupid. It's entirely different.

          Collapse
          1. Avatar photo
            DougAz

            Thanks for insulting me. Reflects on your character not mine.

            The simple truth is, the drive to eliminate democracy is happening much faster by Trump and Trumpists in Congress and States than China or Russia can achieve.

            With the Warrant showing Trump's possession of TC-SCI nuclear documents a violation of the Espionage Act...yea.. Trump and his sycophants in the Republican party are our biggest threat.

            Instead of childish insults...try an adult response.

            Collapse
  3. Avatar photo
    Rajeev

    This sounds like complete over-exaggeration. Talk to any American group of immigrants from another country and you will find a sizeable community that support their country. Lots of Indians support Modi's extreme nationalism. Lots of Venezuelans supported Chavez and Maduro.

    Not sure what the authors want to do about it. Bug and infiltrate the religious organizations? "Scrutiny" seems like a cover for direct interference with unpopular ideas. Last I checked it might be stupid to support Iran's leader but not illegal (at least I hope not).

    Maybe write another article about what we should do about the Eastern European nationalism that is actually infiltrating one major political party. Viktor Orban is a major figure in the Republican Party pivot away from Democracy. His hatred of immigrants, racism and crackdown of dissent is being embraced rather than countered. And this is by large groups of Republicans at all levels. Not some video at some small school nobody has heard of.

    This article seem to be as anti first-amendment as I've seen on the Dispatch.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      CVS

      Thanks for simply conceding you didn't read, or didn't understand, the article.

      Collapse
    2. Avatar photo
      DougAz

      The Dispatch has been sliding further and further to the Right and away from Rational Reasonableness.

      Jonah Goldberg tweeted tonite he has mixed feelings!! About the FBI legal search at MAL. Very disappointing.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Rajeev

        I don't mind they can slide as far right as they want but this particular article I'm surprised survived editorial examination. There is no prescription or policy in this article. Only the vague lawmakers should "prompt scrutiny" advice.

        In other articles there were clear proposals that we could debate. Like the article same day that proposed US freeze diplomatic relations with any EU country soft on sanctions. This article has no real substance just a general beware message.

        Collapse
      2. GK

        There are good reasons to have reservations about the FBI’s search. Reflexively agreeing with anything that’s anti-Trump isn’t any better than being a MAGA dupe. We don’t really have enough information at this point to know whether it’s justified or not.

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          Rajeev

          I'm sure it was justified. I think the question is was it advisable and I would say no.

          But honestly I see nothing in Christopher Wray & Merrick Garland's backgrounds and actions to wonder if it's justified.

          Collapse
        2. Avatar photo
          DougAz

          For your edification as well as for David French and Sarah Isgur and all the .... semi apologists... we actually have a 4th Amendment:


          "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

          The Trump property was searched based on upon Probable Cause, supported and described. Approved by the Judge.

          I don't understand this oh my lets wait.

          Collapse
    3. GK

      This is a bizarre overreaction to the article

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Rajeev

        I guess I'm wondering what the whole point of the article is. The authors don't actually seem to put forward any actions/solutions just seem to be against people having unpopular opinions. I'm pretty sure almost any view can lead to some incident.

        I'm not sure what you find bizarre. Seems like the original message is against free assembly, speech, religion, and association. The fact that a tiny number of people in a country as big as ours are sympathetic toward any leader doesn't bother me one bit. I was pointing out that other worse leaders like Orban have orders of magnitudes higher following than this niche group that seems to be tiny in following.

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          CVS

          Pointing out that a violent theocracy and a state sponsor of terrorism seemingly has direct control over a major institution in Texas is not "people having unpopular opinions."

          If you don't think that's a national security threat, you don't know what you're talking about. Yes, there are competing concerns that you need to be sensitive about. Doesn't change that it's a problem.

          Collapse
        2. GK

          I see what you mean, but the article doesn’t have an issue with people having opinions. They’re pointing out that the IEC is linked to a whole bunch of organizations that are tied to the Iranian government- in a way, kind of similar to the Confucius Institutes the Chinese government establishes. The concern is that Iran is using organizations in the US to push propaganda and promote their ideology, not that people in the US just so happen to support Iran.

          Collapse
          1. Avatar photo
            Rajeev

            All countries do this. The IRA had massive numbers of sympathizers in the US particularly the Northeast. Saudi Arabia has been the worst of this the past decade and people don't seem to sound the alarm. We have 385,000,000 people and they choose to focus on a very narrow tiny sliver of the population to insinuate a threat because of some two degrees of separation to actual incident.

            At the same time, we've seen ideologies like Eastern European Orban/Erdogan nationalistic philosophies take hold in a population that is thousands times the order of magnitude or Iran theocratic sympathizing. We saw actual hardcore terrorism take place on January 6th having thousands of American citizens engage in domestic terrorism inflicting massive damage on the US Capitol and delaying the certification of votes while removing the peaceful transfer of power.

            Collapse
  4. Avatar photo
    Bill Nelson

    This is a natural situation in a free country. Look at the history of the UK. It is to be expected in an open society such as our. And yes some of these people do want to live in Iran, or similar places.

    Collapse
  5. Avatar photo
    mel ladi

    This was a troubling article to read. Part of me thinks this is America. We tolerate dissenting and unpopular views here or at least we should. We also should strive for a robust protection of religious freedom and thought. I don’t mind dissent or criticism of my country and I don’t mind people practicing their faith differently than I do and inculcating their own children. I do, however, mind work done actively against the USA and in support of terrorism. Where is this threat in comparison to the very active domestic terrorist threats from the alt-right/White supremacy movement stirring even as I write this? Which threat is worse? Do we have the wherewithal to guard against both?

    Collapse
  6. Avatar photo
    Cthocas

    The recent attempted assassination by an Iranian agent of a women's rights activist in Brooklyn should make us all take the history of Iranian influence in the western hemisphere very seriously. I've known many refugees from the '79 revolution over the years, and these reports make me legitimately worried for their safety.

    Collapse
  7. Ross Knode

    I wonder how many people who are "pro Iranian regime" have actually lived there and under their repression.

    Collapse
    1. Token Liberal

      A common malady. Think of all the Americans who supported the Soviets, the Nazis, Castro, Victor Orban, etc..., but live or lived here.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        DougAz

        And all the Americans supporting Trump. The biggest threat to America.

        Collapse
    2. Avatar photo
      Cthocas

      As with any tyranny, there is a class of people who live comfortably off the rape of its own people, and a class of people who aspire to ascend there.

      Collapse
  8. Avatar photo
    Frank Lee

    American Democrats have embraced Iran and other terrorist states as part of their global victim cabal. This is no surprise.

    Collapse
    1. Token Liberal

      There is something seriously wrong with this comment

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Scarlette Tarte

        As there is with the commenter.

        He is a well known MAGA troll.

        Collapse
      2. Ross Knode

        Yeah, just ignore the troll.

        Collapse