The U.S. Foundation for Liberty (USFL) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote and advance human rights in Iran, especially the rights of Iranian women, refugees, and victims of human rights violations. ¹

The U.S. Foundation for Liberty is the sister advocacy organization of the Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights. ²

Activities

The U.S. Foundation for Liberty focuses much of its efforts on the resettlement of political refugees. In 2016, USFL successfully transferred thousands of refugees, many of whom were political prisoners or women, from Camp Liberty, Iraq to Albania. In the 1980s, these refugees fled persecution in Iran and sought refuge in Iraq, where they later suffered Tehran-sanctioned physical abuses by Iraqi security forces. ³

The U.S. Foundation for Liberty intends to educate the public about Iranian refugees and victims of human rights abuses in Iran. USFL produces educational television spots and advertisements, and works with authors and columnists, including some who have fled Iran, to publish articles, columns, and op-eds. ⁴

The U.S. Foundation for Liberty claims that the human rights issues caused by the Iranian regime can be mitigated through an approach that does not involve military intervention, but through the strengths and democratic aspirations of the people of Iran. USFL seeks support from concerned Americans and U.S. civil leaders to help the Iranian people, stating that a democratic, non-nuclear Iran will contribute to the national security of the U.S. ⁵

Board of Directors

Homeira Hesami is the chair of the Iranian-American Community of North Texas, a member of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), ⁶ and is a former member of the Iranian-American Women’s Delegation. ⁷

Ahmad Arzabak sits on the board of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC). ⁸

Other members of the board include Saeid Sajadi and Fatollah Dastmalchi. ⁹

Board of Advisors

Ivan Sascha Sheehan is an assistant professor of public and international affairs at the University of Baltimore and works as visiting faculty at George Mason University’s graduate program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. ¹⁰

David B. Lowry is the president of the International Center for Corporate Accountability and the former director of the Center of Peace and Reconciliation at the Desmond Tutu Center at General Theological Seminary. ¹¹

Ed Rendell is a retired Democratic politician who is the former governor of Pennsylvania, former mayor and district attorney of Philadelphia, and a former chair of the Democratic National Committee. Rendell is a co-founder and co-chair of Building America’s Future and a former distinguished senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. ¹²

James T. Conway is a retired Marine Corps general, a former senior operations officer for the U.S. military, and a former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ¹³

Henry H. Shelton is a retired Army general, a former commander in chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command, and a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ¹⁴

David D. Phillips is a retired brigadier general and formerly worked as the chief of Military Police, director of security for the Army staff at the Pentagon, and deputy commanding officer of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. ¹⁵

Leo F. McCloskey is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and former executive officer in the Rhode Island Army National Guard. ¹⁶

Wes Martin is a retired Colonel who served as a senior Antiterrorism/Force Protection Officer, Army Operations Center Crisis Action Team Chief, and Department of Army Information Operations Chief. ¹⁷ Martin is a committee member of both the International Committee in Search of Justice and Never Alone Advocacy. ¹⁸

Michael B. Mukasey is a former U.S. Attorney General. ¹⁹

Tom Ridge is a retired Republican politician and former governor of Pennsylvania, assistant to the President for Homeland Security in the George W. Bush administration, and the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, also under President George W. Bush. Ridge sits on the boards of the Institute for Defense Analyses and the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, and is the chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s National Security Task Force. ²⁰

Patrick Kennedy is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat from Rhode Island and the founder of the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus and the 21st Century Healthcare Caucus. ²¹

1. “About.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/about/.
2.  “About.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/about/.
3.  “About.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/about/.
4. “Educational Events.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/program/educational-events/.
5. “Securing Liberty.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/program/securing-liberty/.
6. “The fight in Ukraine is inspiring U.S. leaders to support human freedom in Iran.” Organization of Iranian American Communities, April 29, 2022. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://oiac.org/the-fight-in-ukraine-is-inspiring-u-s-leaders-to-support-human-freedom-in-iran/.
7. “Homeira Hesami.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/homeira-hesami/.
8. Organization of Iranian American Communities OIAC Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
9. “Board of Directors.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/members/board-directors/.
10. “Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Ph.D.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/ivan-sascha-sheehan-ph-d/.
11. “Rev. Dr. David Lowry.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/rev-dr-david-lowry/.
12. “Governor Edward G. Rendell.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/governor-edward-g-rendell/.
13. “General James T Conway.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/general-james-t-conway/.
14. “General Henry Hugh Shelton, USA (Ret.)” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/general-henry-hugh-shelton-usa-ret/.
15. “Brigadier General David D. Phillips (Ret.)” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/brigadier-general-david-d-phillips-ret/.
16. “LTC Leo F. McCloskey (Ret.)” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/ltc-leo-f-mccloskey-ret/.
17. “Wesley (Wes) Martin, Colonel, U.S. Army, (Ret.)” U.S. Foundation for Liberty and Human Rights, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usflhr.org/member/wesley-wes-martin-colonel-u-s-army-ret/.
18. “Home.” Colonel Wes Martin. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.colonelwesmartin.com/.
19. “Judge Michael B. Mukasey.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/judge-michael-b-mukasey/.
20. “The Honorable Thomas J. Ridge.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/the-honorable-thomas-j-ridge/.
21. “Congressman Patrick Kennedy.” U.S. Foundation for Liberty, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2022. https://www.usfliberty.org/member/congressman-patrick-kennedy/.