An Open Letter to the American People

We are a group of Iranian civil society activists, intellectuals, journalists, lawyers, university professors, religion investigators, senior members of political parties and reformists. We are writing to you at this historic moment in the relations between our two countries to make an appeal for your support of the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

We have long been committed to upholding the values of tolerance, pluralism, human rights and the peaceful relations between nations. We deeply believe that the just and reasonable solution for international disputes is through negotiation not by using the right of power and imposing unilateral views. We strongly believe if this nuclear agreement is approved and implemented, it holds the promise of the gradual realization of these universal values within Iran, along with the possibility of better relations between our two nations.
 

We are deeply concerned about the consequences that might result from the rejection of this nuclear agreement. Economic sanctions against Iran will increase, as will the likelihood of war. This would be a catastrophe for the Middle East. Another war in this region would strengthen the forces of extremism and undermine the forces that work for nonviolence, peace and reconciliation; the ripple effects of another war would be felt far and wide, and would destabilize the international system for years to come.

For all of the above reasons, we are appealing to you at this critical juncture in history. We urge you to seize this unique opportunity, and to impress upon your elected representatives in Congress the importance of supporting this nuclear agreement. Another opportunity of this magnitude may not present itself again in our lifetime. We owe it to future generations of Iranians, Americans and Middle Easterners to raise our collective voices in support of peace and diplomacy.

We look forward to a day in the future when Iranians no longer have to write open letters to Americans, but can meet face to face with mutual respect and dignity based on shared civilizational values that bind us together as citizens of this planet.

Sincerely,

Adib,Masoud. University Professor of Philosophy
Alavitabar, Alireza, University Professor of Political Sciences 
Alizadeh Tabatabaee, Lawyer, Member of Tehran Bar Association, University Professor of Law
Ansari-Rad, Hussein. Former Member of Parliament
Arabsorkhi, Faizullah. Political Activist, Senior Member of Organization of Mojahedine Enghelab Eslami”. Former Deputy Minister of Commerce
Asgharzadeh,Ebrahim. Secretary General, Hambastegi Party
Badkoubehei, Mustafa. Contemporary Popular Poet
,Baghi, Emaddeddin , Founder and Director, Organization for the Defense of Prisoners
Bani-Asadi, Dr. Hossein. Deputy Prime Minister, Provisional Government; Political activist. Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Bazargan, Abolfazl. Deputy Prime Minister, Political Activist. Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Bitaraf,Mrs, Safa. Political Activist
Dadkhah, S.M.A. Lawyer. Ph.D., Senior Expert in International Law
Davari,Mohammad. Senior Member of Teachers Association of Iran
Farzadi,Ghaffar, University Professor of Mathematics. Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Gharavi, A.A. Political Activist and Religion Investigator
Gheirat, Ms. Farideh. Lawyer, Former Vice President of Iran’s Bar Association
Ghouchani, Mohammad. Journalist, Chief Editor, Monthly Mehrnameh Magazine. Senior Member of Kargozaran Party
Hadizadeh, Hadi, University Professor of Physics. Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Haghgoo, Jamshid. Businessman, Former Head of Iran-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Political Activist 
Haghighat, S.S. University Professor of Political Sciences
Hazeri, alimohammad, University Professor
Karbaschi,G.H. Secretary General, Kargozaran Party, former Mayor of Tehran
Kashefi, Hossein, Political Activist. Senior Member of Unity of Islamic Iran Party
Khatami, M. Reza, M.D. and University Professor, Former Member of Parliament, Former Deputy Minister of Health
Kianoush Rad, Mohammad. Political Activist. Former Member of Parliament
Kimiaee,Asghar. Religion Investigator
Jalaeipour, H .Reza. University Professor of Sociology
Meisami, Lotfollah. Journalist, Chief Editor and Publisher of Cheshmandaz Bimonthly Magazine
Mirmousavi,S.A. University Professor of Political Sciences
Moein, Mostafa, M.D. University Professor, Former Minister of Science and Reformist Presidential Candidate
Mofidi,B. Ms. Journalist
Momeni, Abdullah. Former Leading Member of Muslim Students Association
Montazeri, Ahmad. Religious Investigator
Mortazi, Mrs. Minoo , Member , Mothers for Peace
Movaheddi Savouji, M.H. University Professor of Qur’anic Interpretation 
Mozaffar, Javad. Author and Publisher (Kavir Publication)
Naeemipor, Mohammad. Former Member of Parliament, Political Activist
Nazary, Ali. Journalist, Publisher and Chief Editor, Paytakht Kohan Weekly Magazine, former member of Parliament
Nikbakht, Saleh. Lawyer
Nouri, Abdullah, Former Minister of the Interior
Panahi,Jaafar. Film Director
Rezaei, Ahad, Political Activist, Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Sabbaghian, Hashem, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Provisional Government; Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Sahabi,Hamed. Political Activist. Publisher and Chief Editor, Iran-Farda Weekly Magazine
Samimi, Kayone. Journalist, Political Activist
Shamsulvaezin, Masha’allah. Journalist
Taleghani, Mrs. Aazam. Secretary General, The Party of Islamic Revolution’s Women Society. Publisher and Chief Editor of “Payam-e Ibrahim- The Message of Ibrahim” Magazine
Tavassoli, Mohammad, former Mayer of Tehran, Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Tavassoli, G.Abbas, University Professor, Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Yazdi, Ebrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary General, Freedom Movement of Iran
Zandi- Nia, Parviz Professor of High Technology at Modarres University, Senior Member of Freedom Movement of Iran
Zibakalam, Sadegh., Professor of Political Sciences at University of Tehran