“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light,”
George Washington
We are Iranians who have paid dearly for our fight for democracy and the freedom for Iran and the Iranian nation. While reaffirming our goal to overthrow the ruling regime in Iran, we principally stand against any form of staged agenda that appropriates our voices to justify manipulating the people's movements in Iran.
Alinejad’s annual USAGM contract under RECIPIENT ID H2JFTHB14639 is due for a renewal on February 29, 2024.
The renewal of her contract means another award of over $100k to her from tax-payers money.
Alinejad has been funded by the US government since 2013. According to USA Spending, Alinejad has received at least $776,670 since then.
Therefore we are submitting this formal complaint about USAGM contractor, Masih Alinejad misrepresenting herself as an advocate, trusted by the Iranian people.
Alinejad presents herself as the voice of many Iranians who trust her. Representation claims of this nature must be supported by strong evidence, analysis and periodic re-evaluations. Instead, the US Government has pushed the narrative to legitimate Alinejad’s representation of Iranians by tailoring a mostly fake biography to introduce her. The bio to shape her as a brave activist in exile has never been challenged and verified.
Despite the official claims that paint the U.S. foreign policy apparatus as protective of freedom, democracy, and human rights, there has never been a democratic election, public poll or official analysis to elect Alinejad as a trusted representative for Iranians.
While the evidence in the actual community and social media prove quite contrary and demonstrate the Iranians' disapproval of Alinejad's actions.
In fact the evidence in the community and the social media, proves the contrary. The false claims in Alinejad’s bio that are frequently used by the government officials and global media are the true meaning of disinformation. This is embarrassing for the VOA, given its mission to provide accurate and uncensored news and information in countries whose governments suppress or control the news media including Iran.
Masih Alinejad, is funded by the United States government, and is awarded annual contracts by USAGM, a U.S. government-funded media outlet.
Alinejad has not been truthful with the public about her past, her funding source and her true motives behind her actions that impact the people of Iran. The failure to disclose these facts is a serious violation of the US journalistic standards.
The following are only 3 examples of false and censored information in the introduction and promotion of Alinejad
1- Masih Alinejad’s failure to disclose funding from U.S. government
According toUSA Spending,Alinejad has received at least $776,670 since 2013. Last year, she was paid $106,080 by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an institution funded and controlled by the U.S. government. As it states on its web site, “VOA provides news, information, and cultural programming through the Internet, mobile and social media, radio, and television. VOA is funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Alinjad is always given a lot of credit because of the "White Wednesdays" campaign. What is not revealed is that Alinejad was on the payroll of the U.S. government, when she launched the social media campaigns including #White Wednesdays, #MyCameraIsMyWeapon #MyStealthyFreedom and #LetUsTalk.
As she has repeatedly stated in her interviews, her campaigns encouraged civil disobedience in Iran. US funding Alinejad during these campaigns, gave IR the excuse to call the anti Hijab movements by the women in Iran “Conspiracies of the foreign enemies” and legitimized the violent crackdown on "foreign interference".
However, Alinejad is unable to provide any meaningful support for those who are arrested, tortured and imprisoned as a result of her campaigns.
In the media, Alinejad has consistently criticized the Biden administration for its soft approach towards IR. However USAGM which funds Alinejad is overseen by the U.S. International Broadcasting Advisory Board under the U.S. Department of State.
The Department of State is the main funder of USAGM. On the board, the Secretary of State is tasked with providing guidance on foreign policy to the USAGM news network. Alinejad is paid to play the USG to perform the Red Herring tactic.
In this tactic, Alinejad plays the role of the harsh critic of Biden’s unfavourable decisions. The illusion of an already widespread protest by Alinejad, brings a false satisfaction for the audience and eliminates the need for further and effective measures. Alinejad is unable to represent Iranians while funded by the US government because She is paid by the US government to promote US policy towards Iran.
2- Alinejad NEVER “Fled” Iran
Alinejad's claim of fleeing Iran after the 2009 Green Movement uprising is completely false. This core fact, delegitimizes Alinejad as an exile.
Alinejad NEVER fled Iran. She simply traveled from Iran to the US, using a Visa issued to her after a proof of assignment signed by the chief editor of Etemad Melli newspaper which belonged to the reformist Medhi Karoubiو was mailed to the US embassy in London. She disclosed this in an interview with the New Yorker in 2009 when she was in the US waiting to meet Obama.
From 2005 Alinejad was living in the UK, where she was active as a Reformist journalist, and still wearing some sort of hijab. In 2009 shesent a letterto the US Embassy in London, asking to interview the newly-elected President Barack Obama. She was told she needed a formal assignment from her employer to be able to get the Visa for Members of the Foreign Media, Press, and Radio.She sent her brother to the Etemad Melli newspaper office to get the assignment. The assignment issued by the chief editor of Etemad Melli newspaper was sent to the US embassy in London and The US granted her a visa in April 2009. Before traveling to the US, she returned to Iran briefly and, unlike the claim that she "fled '' Iran, she received her Iranian passport and left Iran freely.
Furthermore, it is not clear if Alinejad has abandoned the assignment given to her by the reformists.
This is exceptionally troubling as VOA has a record of hiring journalists accused of promoting foreign propaganda.
Last year Voice of America had to cut ties with journalists accused of promoting Russian propaganda before hiring.
VOA did not act on this matter immediately after the allegations were submitted and only launched an investigation after other news organizations, including The Washington Post, reported on the employees’ accusations.
Knowing this history puts the alert on a much higher level about Alinejad that her ties to the IR Reformist party continued after her move to the US.
3- Alinejad nationalities
Alinejad’s certificate of naturalization as a U.S. citizen is available through the exhibits submitted to the District of Columbia court. In this certificate issued by the Department of Homeland Security, the United Kingdom is declared as the country of Alinejad's former nationality. Alinejad has never disclosed her British nationality and is described as Iranian-American. Introducing Alinejad as an Iranian- American is not a true representative of her nationality as it censors her British nationality. This must be disclosed to the public as her ties to 3 different countries might impair her duties and obligations.
In conclusion, Alinejad's annual contract with USAGM is due for a renewal on Feb 29, 2024. Should the contract be renewed, another $100k+ from the tax-payers fund will be awarded to Alinejad for yet another year.
The struggles of Iranians for freedom and justice are not to be appropriated as a pawn for justifying the interventionist policies of the U.S. government. Alinejad’s activities are funded by the United States government and failure to disclose this fact has manipulated public opinion. While we are adamant in the pursuit of justice in Iran, we condemn Alinejad’s false representation of Iranians.