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Iranian Americans

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Iranian American
Anousheh AnsariAndre Agassi
Pierre OmidyarChristiane Amanpour
Maz JobraniCatherine Bell
Lofti ZadehShohreh Aghdashloo
Goli AmeriAdrian Pasdar
Omid KordestaniHushang Ansary
Anousheh Ansari • Andre Agassi
Pierre Omidyar • Christiane Amanpour
Maz Jobrani • Catherine Bell
Lotfi Zadeh • Shohreh Aghdashloo
Goli Ameri • Adrian Pasdar •
Omid Kordestani • Hushang Ansary
Regions with significant populations
California, New York, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC.[1]
Languages
American English, Persian
minority languages:
Assyrian, Armenian, Gilaki, Hebrew, Talysh
Religion
Predominant Religious Groups: Irreligious, Muslim[2]
Other Religious Groups: Judaism (10-20%),[3] Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Bahá'í Faith[2]
Related ethnic groups
Armenian American · Turkish American · Arab American ·

Iranian-Americans or Persian-Americans are American citizens from Iran (with former or current Iranian citizenship) or with ancestors from Iran.

Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States.[6][7] Iranian-Americans have historically excelled in business, academia, the sciences, arts and entertainment - but have traditionally shied away from participating in American politics or other civic activities.[8]

Although Iranians have lived in the United States in relatively small numbers since the 1930s, a large number of Iranian-Americans are immigrants to the United States after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Iranian-Americans are Baha'i, Christian, irreligious, Jewish, Muslim and Zoroastrian.[9][10]

History

Iranian immigration to the United States has been continuous since the 1980s. Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.[11] Today, the United States contains the highest number of Iranians outside of Iran. The Iranian-American community has produced significant numbers of individuals notable in many fields, including medicine, engineering, and business. The community chiefly expanded in the early 1980s, following the Iranian Revolution and its abolition of the Iranian monarchy.

Iranians of all religious backgrounds in the United States have comparatively a mix of liberal and conservative and nationalist political opinions and lifestyles. Iranian-Americans thus are secular or, if not, tend to practice moderate, less traditional religious forms, but strong cultural forms.

Besides the ethnic Persians who form the majority of Iranians in the United States, there is a large christian Iranian-Armenian minority. Other minority group among the Iranians resident in the United States are the Jewish Iranians. Prior to the Islamic revolution in Iran and the cut off of diplomatic relations between the two countries, America and American universities were very popular among Iranians, and this popularity was a major force in drawing numerous Iranian students to the United States. During the 1977-1978 academic year, of about 100,000 Iranian students abroad, 36,220 were enrolled in American institutions of higher learning (the rest studied chiefly in the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Austria, or Italy). During the 1978-1979 academic year, on the eve of the Iranian revolution, the number of Iranian students enrolled in American institutions rose to 45,340, and in 1979-1980 the number reached a peak of 51,310: at that time, more students from Iran were enrolled in American universities than from any other foreign country. Out of a total of 263,938 foreign student enrollment in the United States in the 1978-1979 academic year, 17% were from Iran (the number of students in American institutions from oil-exporting countries were unusually high in the 1970s, yet second-place Nigeria sent only 16,340 students, or 6% of the total foreign enrollment). The expansion of Iranian economy and the resultant higher revenues were the cause of wise investments in students' education abroad, either directly by the Imperial government's financial aid services and/or indirectly by the students' families. This investment paid off and resulted in an excellent cohort of Western-educated professionals. Due to Iran's ever increasing demand for high-level manpower in the years prior to 1979, the majority of students were returning home after graduation to work including those who had received financial aid in exchange to serve the government or industry upon graduation. After the revolution, some returned to Iran to serve the country, but were gradually purged from the newly established Islamic Republic. Some of the students who graduated abroad after the revolution also did not return due to ruling clergy's repression. As the result, the educated elite who left Iran after the revolution and the new graduates in the United States who chose not to return home created a large pool of highly educated and skilled Iranian professionals in the United States. Today, over 1.5 million Iranians have chosen to leave Iran for other countries due to Islamic government's practices.[12]


Physicians

The earliest Iranian professionals in the U.S. before the 1979 revolution were the physicians[citation needed]. They were mostly young temporary trainees who worked as medical interns or residents. Some established themselves to continue practice beyond the residency stage. Their motives to extend their stay in the United States were more geared towards professional reasons than economics. In 1978, the total number of Iranian physicians in the U.S. had grown to 2,306[citation needed]. Later, those who migrated to the U.S. after the 1979 revolution were mostly experienced physicians who came with their families and intent to stay permanently. At the present time, there are about 5,000[citation needed] Iranian physicians working in the United States who have either their own practices or work in various medical institutions. Based on a count in 2001, out of the 5000 physicians about 80 percent had obtained their primary medical degree in Iran and have gone through advanced training in the United States. Additionally, there are around 3,000 of new generation Iranian American physicians who have received their entire training in various fields in the United States. This increases the total number of Iranian medical doctors in the United States to around 8,000.

Professors

Another major group of highly trained Iranian professionals in the U.S. are university professors. Based on a report that was published by the National Science Foundation in 1998[citation needed], 1,369 Iranian born professors were teaching engineering and science on a full-time basis in the U.S. The total number of Iranian professors in the U.S. is substantially higher if the Iranians who teach in other fields and part-time lecturers are added in. In 2001, it was estimated that the total number of Iranian professors who teach and research in higher education institutions in the United States was around 4,000.[citation needed]

Demography

See also: Demography of the United States and Demography of Iran

U.S. Census

Iranian Americans are far more numerous in the United States than census data indicate, according to research done by the Iranian Studies Group, an independent academic organization, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The group estimates that the number of Iranian Americans may have topped 691,000 in 2004—more than twice the figure of 338,000 cited in the 2000 U.S. census.[6]

According to extrapolated U.S. Census data and other independent surveys done by Iranian-Americans themselves in 2009, there are an estimated 1–1.5 million Iranian-Americans living in the U.S.,[8] with the largest concentration—about 720,000 people—living around Los Angeles.[8][13] For this reason, the L.A. area with its Iranian American residents is sometimes referred to as "Tehrangeles" or "Irangeles" among Iranian-Americans.[14] An NPR report recently put the Iranian population of Beverly Hills as high as 20% of the total population. Other large communities include New York; New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Seattle, Washington; and Houston, Texas.[8] Iranian-American organizations, including the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, the Iranian American Bar Association and the Iranian Alliances Across Borders have banded together to form the 2010 Census Coalition, focusing on educating the Iranian-American diaspora about the 2010 Census.

Education

According to Census 2000, 50.9 percent of Iranian immigrants have attained a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 28.0 percent national average.[6] According to the latest census data available, more than one in four Iranian-Americans holds a master's or doctoral degree, the highest rate among 67 ethnic groups studied.[7]

Occupation and income

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently conducted a study that found Iranian immigrants among the top 20 immigrant groups with the highest rate of business ownership, contributing substantially to the U.S. economy. According to the report, there are 33,570 active and contributing Iranian American business owners in the U.S., with a 21.5% business ownership rate. The study also found that the total net business income generated by Iranian Americans is $2,559,450,000.[15] Almost one in three Iranian American households have annual incomes of more than $100K (compared to one in five for the overall U.S. population).[16]

According to a study carried out by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Iranian scientists and engineers in the United States own or control around $880 billion.[17]

Religion

File:IAmericanreligions.png
Religions of Iranian-Americans

According to one poll, two-fifths of Iranian Americans identify themselves as Muslims. The same poll found that a roughly equal percentage appear not to practice any particular religion at all. The poll found the remaining balance split among Christians, followers of Judaism, Baha'is and Zoroastrians.[2] Calculating the percentage of Christian Iranian Americans is difficult because many Iranian Christians are of Armenian or Assyrian origin and self-identify as such rather than as Iranian.[18]

Citizenship

Nearly all Iranian-Americans are either citizens (81%) or permanent residents (15%) of the United States (2008 survey).[2]

Politics

See also: Iran-US relations

Though Iranian-Americans have historically excelled in business, academia and the sciences, they have traditionally shied away from participating in American politics or other civic activities.[8]

An August 2008 Zogby International poll, commissioned by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, found that approximately one half of Iranian Americans identified themselves as registered Democrats, in contrast to one in eight as Republicans and one in four as independents (2008).[2]

The same poll indicates that more than half of Iranian Americans cite domestic U.S. issues, including issues that are not unique to Iranian Americans, as the most important to them. In contrast, one quarter of Iranian Americans cite foreign policy issues involving U.S.-Iran relations and less than one in ten cite the internal affairs of Iran as being of greatest importance to them.[2]

From 1980 to 2004, more than one out of every four Iranian immigrants was a refugee or asylee.[6] The PAAIA/Zogby poll also cites that almost three-quarters of Iranian Americans believe the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran is the most important issue relating to U.S.-Iran relations. About the same percentage, however, believe diplomacy is the foreign policy approach towards Iran that would be in the best interest of the United States. 84% support establishing U.S. Interest Section in Iran and a majority supports political reform.[2] Nearly all Iranian Americans surveyed oppose any U.S. military attack against Iran.[19]

Ties to Iran

See also: Communications in Iran

According to a survey conducted in 2009, more than six in ten Iranian Americans have immediate family members in Iran, and almost three in ten communicate with their families or friends in Iran at least several times a week. An additional four in ten communicate with their families or friends in Iran at least several times a month. This study indicates an unusually close relationship between Iranian Americans and Iranians.[19]

Discrimination

See also: Anti-Iranian sentiments

According to the Public Affairs of Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), nearly half of Iranian-Americans surveyed in 2008 by Zogby International have experienced or personally know Iranian Americans who have experienced discrimination due to their ethnicity or country of origin. The most common types of discrimination reported are airport security check, social discrimination, racial profiling, employment or business discrimination and discrimination at the hands of immigration officials.[2]

Notable individuals

Main article: List of Iranian Americans

Business/technology: Iranian-Americans are among the most educated and successful communities in the U.S., according to a report by Iranian Studies group at MIT, Iranian-Americans have founded and/or participated in senior leadership positions of many major US companies, including many Fortune 500 companies such as GE, Intel, Verizon, Motorola, Google, and AT&T.[20]

Pierre Omidyar, founder/CEO of eBay is of Iranian origin, as well as the founder of Bratz, Isaac Larian. In September 2006, Anousheh Ansari, co-founder of the Ansari X Prize became the first female tourist in space. Ansari is also the co-founder and former CEO of Prodea Systems Inc. and Telecom Technologies, Inc. Other well known Iranian-American entrepreneurs include designer Bijan Pakzad, entrepreneur Sam Nazarian, Omid Kordestani of Google (named as a titan in the Time 100), CEO of YouTube Salar Kamangar and Sina Tamaddon of Apple Inc.

Philanthropy: Many Iranian Americans are active philanthropists and leaders in improving their community. In 2006, the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center was the recipient of a 10 million dollar donation from an Iranian American couple based in Houston, Texas.[21][22] The University of Southern California was also the recipient of a 17 million dollar gift from an Iranian-American,[23] as was San Francisco State University which also received a 10 million dollar gift from an Iranian-American couple.[24], and Chicago's Swedish Covenant Hospital ($4 million),[25] Portland State University ($8 million),[26] and UC Irvine ($30 million),[27][28] among others.

Science/academia: Well-known Iranian Americans in science include Shahriar Afshar originator of the Afshar experiment, Firouz Naderi director at NASA, Ali Javan inventor of the first gas laser, Lotfi Asker Zadeh, Cumrun Vafa, and Rashid Massumi, M.D., a pioneer in the fields of electrophysiology and cardiology, among others.

Media/entertainment: Well-known media personalities of Americans of Iranian descent include Christiane Amanpour, Asieh Namdar, Roya Hakakian, and Rudi Bakhtiar. There are several Iranian American actors, comedians and film crew, including the Academy-Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Shohreh Aghdashloo, actresses Catherine Bell, Sarah Shahi, and Bahar Soomekh, comedian Maz Jobrani, actor Adrian Pasdar, producer Bob Yari, Farhad Safinia, and Daryush Shokof.

Sports: Professional tennis player Andre Agassi, TNA wrestler Shawn Daivari, professional Mixed Martial Artist Amir Sadollah, and professional soccer players Sobhan Tadjalli, Alecko Eskandarian and Steven Beitashour.

Politics: The son of the late Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, lives in the United States, as well as several high-ranking officials in the Shah's administration such as Hushang Ansary and Jamshid Amouzegar. Goli Ameri is the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs from 2008-2009, during which she was the highest-ranking Iranian-American public official in the United States. Beverly Hills elected its first Iranian-born Mayor, Jamshid Delshad, in 2007.[29][30]

See also


References

  1. ^ http://www.niacouncil.org/docs/irancensus.pdf
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Survey of Iranian Americans: 84% Support Establishing U.S. Interest Section in Iran". Payvand.com. 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  3. ^ "Iranian Jews Living in U.S. Have Complex Feelings About Mideast Crisis". Fox News. 2006-08-07.
  4. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-mt_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G2000_B04003&-CONTEXT=dt&-redoLog=true&-currentselections=ACS_2007_1YR_G2000_B04001&-geo_id=01000US&-format=&-_lang=en
  5. ^ [1]"The Nation Magazine, July 9, 2007
  6. ^ a b c d "Migration Information Source - Spotlight on the Iranian Foreign Born". Migrationinformation.org. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  7. ^ a b "Iranian-Americans Reported Among Most Highly Educated in U.S". Payvand.com. 2006-11-24. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  8. ^ a b c d e By Azadeh Ansari CNN (2009-06-16). "Iranian-Americans cast ballots on Iran's future". CNN.com. Retrieved 2010-02-15. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ http://www.payvand.com/news/08/dec/1117.html
  10. ^ Hakimzadeh, Shirin (2006). "Spotlight on the Iranian Foreign Born". US in Focus. Migration Information Source. The Iranian foreign born are a relatively new population whose migration to the United States was concentrated around the years of the Islamic Revolution (1978-1979). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ "Migration Information Source - Spotlight on the Iranian Foreign Born". Migrationinformation.org. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  12. ^ Torbat, Akbar E (Spring 2002). "The brain drain from Iran to the United States". Middle East Journal 56 (2): 272–295.
  13. ^ The Wall Street Journal, Iran's Political Crisis Fuels Expatriates' Fears, Hopes
  14. ^ "Iranians at odds over talks with 'the Great Satan'". London: The Sunday Telegraph. 04-06-2006. Retrieved 2010-05-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "SBA Report: Iranian-Americans with one of highest rates of immigrant-owned businesses". Payvand.com. 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  16. ^ http://paaia.org/galleries/new-gallery/Survey_of_Iranian_Americans_Final_Report_Dec_10%202008.pdf
  17. ^ "2-4. Dr. Abbas Milani, a lecture about Modernity in Iran". Video.google.com. 2005-11-26. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  18. ^ http://abs.sagepub.com/content/50/1/100.abstract
  19. ^ a b "PAAIA Releases 2009 National Survey of Iranian Americans". Payvand.com. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  20. ^ "Iranian Studies Group at MIT". Isg-mit.org. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  21. ^ Profile of an Iranian-American philanthropist: Ali Saberioon
  22. ^ Title_ - M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
  23. ^ Alum Gives $17M to USC Viterbi Dept
  24. ^ SF State News
  25. ^ Iranian.com | Archive Pages
  26. ^ Portland State Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science | Visionary Alumnus
  27. ^ University of California, Irvine | The Paul Merage School of Business
  28. ^ Iranian.com | Archive Pages
  29. ^ NPR: Living in Tehrangeles: L.A.'s Iranian Community
  30. ^ Kasindorf, Martin (2007-03-14). "Beverly Hills will have first Iranian-born mayor in USA". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-05-05.

External links


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