US State Department-Linked Activists Lead Anti-Iran Protest In Washington

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2019) Activists allegedly linked to a US State Department-funded propaganda program helped organize an anti-Iran demonstration in Washington just as the United States and Islamic Republic appear headed for a military confrontation.

Dozens of protesters gathered in Washington's downtown area on Friday in front of the office of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). The demonstrators claimed that the NIAC supports the Iranian government's policies.

NIAC President Jamal Abdi, however, told Sputnik the protesters were spreading disinformation on behalf of the Trump administration.

"We know that the leader of the protest, Maryam Memarsadeghi, is funded by the State Department and the US government recently had to cut nearly one million Dollars in funding for one of her projects because she was using taxpayer dollars to smear and attack Iranian-American journalists, civil society groups, and human rights advocates," Abdi said.

The US State Department did not respond to Sputnik's request for a comment by the time of publication.

Memarsadeghi's Twitter profile is linked to an account called @IranDisinfo - the Iran Disinformation Project. According to the group's website, the Iran Disinformation Project is funded by the US Department of State's Global Engagement Center and was launched in late 2018.

On July 10, a State Department official told a congressional committee that funding for the @IranDisinfo Twitter site had been eliminated because it was not the US government's intent "to have anyone tweeting at US citizens.

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Some of the protesters on Friday held up a sign that accused the NIAC of violating the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and called on the Justice Department to investigate. FARA requires organizations or persons that lobby on behalf of foreign governments to register as a foreign agent.

Abdi said that, in fact, the NIAC does not receive support from any government - foreign or domestic. Its donors include Iranian-Americans and reputable US foundations.

Many of these groups that claim to be grass-roots movements, however, are likely being funded from abroad to promote militaristic policies against Iran, the NIAC chief said.

"There is also serious evidence that Saudi Arabia is providing financial support for some of these astroturf groups that have suddenly been cropping up and supporting US-led regime change against Iran," Abdi argued. "We oppose war and sanctions because that is what our members support... and what the overwhelming majority of Iran Americans support."

Earlier in the day, Iran reportedly seized a UK oil tanker a day after the United States said it shot down an Iranian drone. Late Friday, the US deployed military personnel and resources to Saudi Arabia as an "additional deterrent" to alleged threats.