A well-known foreign policy analyst suggested on Saturday that recent media articles might have been intended to push for his deportation due to his criticism of the Iran war.
Trita Parsi, who serves as the deputy director of the Quincy Institute for Responsible States and Strategy, shared his thoughts on Substack. He expressed that a report by The Free Press seemed “designed to trigger” the State Department into revoking his green card and deporting him. He hinted that he might be a source for the article, which he referred to as a “hit piece.”
In his Substack post, Parsi commented, “I’ve been battling neoconservatives and war advocates in Washington for over 25 years, and they’ve consistently tried to silence and discredit me. But this is the first time they’ve actually attempted to deport me.”
He mentioned that the article, attributed to writer Jay Solomon, appears to have a specific goal in mind.
Solomon remarked in his piece that some within the Trump administration view Parsi as more than just a commentator wanting to share his opinions.
The report also noted that Parsi holds both Iranian and Swedish citizenship and is a legal permanent resident in the U.S.
The day after the report’s release, a State Department official informed Turkey’s state broadcaster Anadolu Agency that there are “no plans to revoke Mr. Parsi’s green card at this time.” They added that while no foreign national is assured the right to stay in the U.S., the department would act against anyone undermining national security.
Neither the State Department nor Parsi responded immediately to inquiries about the situation.
In his Substack post, Parsi stated he did not believe there was any actual investigation against him but rather that certain individuals in the State Department were trying to initiate one, possibly under outside pressure. He pointed out that for weeks, pro-Israel social media figures have suggested that he should be deported. He humorously noted that some activists even created an AI-generated video of his arrest by ICE, which he found “very entertaining.”
The editorial positions taken by The Free Press and its founder, Bari Weiss, are well-known for supporting Israel’s relations with the U.S. A video on the outlet’s YouTube channel was titled “A Message to Defenders of the Iranian Regime” shortly after the Iran war began.
In a previous tweet, Katie Halper expressed solidarity with Parsi, citing that there might be efforts to intimidate anti-war voices.
Solomon also mentioned that Parsi has faced criticism from many Iranian-Americans, who believe he is using his position in the U.S. to bolster the Iranian opposition. He referenced a letter from 2020 signed by Republican senators, including Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton, calling for an investigation into the advocacy group that Parsi founded.
Parsi pointed out that Solomon and The Free Press could, whether knowingly or not, play a detrimental role in these attempts. He also noted Solomon’s past, mentioning he was fired from the Wall Street Journal due to financial dealings involving a key source.
Parsi indicated that these attempts at initiating an investigation seemed to have backfired, citing an increase in support from a diverse group of individuals after the article’s release.
He concluded by affirming the ongoing commitment to oppose war and endless military strategies, asserting that efforts to silence these discussions won’t succeed in thwarting a growing demand for a more restrained and diplomatic foreign policy.
Parsi, who moved from Iran to Sweden at a young age, has a background deeply tied to political dissent against both the Shah of Iran and the Ayatollah who replaced him. He has critiqued the justifications used for the current conflict with Iran, expressing skepticism about the reasons offered by the administration.
