Iranian-American group, leader lose libel case against writer

https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2008cv0705-189

PDF Copy of Court ruling

By JOSH GERSTEIN |
9/13/12 6:21 PM EDT

A federal judge has thrown out a libel suit charging an author with falsely branding a prominent Iranian-American group and its president with being agents of the regime in Tehran.

U.S. District Judge John Bates issued a decision Thursday rejecting the lawsuit brought by the National Iranian-American Council and its president, Trita Parsi, against writer Seid Hassan Daioleslam.

Bates said NIAC and Parsi had failed to show evidence of actual malice, either that Daioeslam acted with knowledge the allegations he made were false or with reckless disregard about their accuracy.

NIAC and Parsi have lobbied against efforts to increase U.S. sanctions on Iran and have sometimes pursued other goals that the Iranian government favors, such as protection of Iranian cultural artifacts that are the subject of legal disputes in the U.S. However, NIAC and Parsi have always insisted that they are representing the interests of Iranian-Americans and not that of the government in Tehran.

Bates made clear in his ruling that he wasn’t taking a stand on whether the claims the author made about NIAC and Parsi were true.

“Nothing in this opinion should be construed as a finding that defendant’s articles were true. Defendant did not move for summary judgment on that ground, and it has not been addressed here,” Bates wrote.

A spokesman for NIACsaid the group was reviewing the ruling and would not have a comment until Friday.

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