Yale University hosts Trita Parsi who is accused of lobbying the Iranian regime

FIRST ON FOX: Trita Parsi, who is controversial in the Iranian American community, will be speaking at an event organized by the John Quincy Adams Society at Yale University on Thursday, which has raised concerns as tensions continue in Iran.

Shay Khatiri, senior fellow at the Yorktown Institute, grew up in Northern Iran and spent time living in the country’s capital, Tehran. Khatiri didn’t hold back when discussing her opinion on Parsi messages, telling Fox News Digital that the speaker of the Yale chapter is facing accusations that she wants policies that benefit the state.

“[Parsi] they founded this group called the National Iranian American Council, NIAC,” explained Khatiri.

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“There have been serious suspicions among the Iranian diaspora and the foreign policy community in Washington, DC that Parsi and his group have been seeking to illegally lobby and promote the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Khatiri told Fox.

The Yorktown colleague went on to explain that he believed the “talking points” used by Parsi were full of misinformation.

“[Parsi says that] the protesters are actually not that peaceful, and they are violent, and you leave the context that it is always the Islamic Republic that starts the violence and, in defense, the protesters respond to it, or that the protests are not that inclusive, that they have no leadership, which is not true,” said Khatiri.

Protesters burn a poster depicting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, Holon, Israel on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

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The Quincy Institute dismissed the pushback, saying the event was an opportunity “for students to come inside and join the conversation.”

“We’re talking about one seminar on the Monroe Doctrine and, in general, about the principles of Realism and Restant,” Jessica Rosenblum, director of communications at the Quincy Institute, told Fox News Digital.

Parsi is the founder and senior vice president of the Quincy Institute.

“It’s a shame that, instead of having important discussions about the topics that are at the forefront of the news, a few protesters are using tactics to cancel the culture that many of us hoped would no longer plague universities.”

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Iran has been under pressure since December when protesters rose up against the Iranian regime as the Middle Eastern country grapples with economic imbalances.

The protests have turned deadly as reports show Iranian security forces are using lethal force against protesters.

Using the accounts of doctors working in the region, the Sunday Times reports that an updated study estimates that Iranian security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000.

“Parsi has been saying that if you want to have a new leadership in Iran, there are people inside the system that you can work with,” explained Khatiri. “Which is an unacceptable outcome, according to the Iranian diaspora and Iranian protesters.”

Yale has faced increasing criticism for what critics describe as a left-leaning ideological stance, particularly on foreign policy and national security issues. (Getty Images)

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Yale University did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, but the university has also been criticized for its left-leaning bias in reports and studies at the Ivy League university.

A January report from the Yale Daily News that analyzed professors’ political contributions showed that of the 1,099 contributions made by professors to political campaigns and coalitions, none of the contributions were made to Republicans.

Separately, a study by the Buckley Institute found that 27 of 43 undergraduate departments at Ivy League schools have no Republican faculty members.

The report revealed that 0% of political donations made by professors in 2025 went to Republicans. (Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“From Obama’s weakness and giving up on the Iran deal to Biden’s repeated betrayal of the Mullahs, Democrats have repeatedly failed to hold the terrorists in Tehran accountable or represent the millions of Iranians fighting for their freedom,” Congressman Darrell Issa told Fox News Digital.

“This is not a close call,” Issa added.

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Last week, President Donald Trump said “it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” and has defended the protests as working to topple the regime.

Fox News Digital reached out to the John Quincy Adams Society at Yale University and Parsi but did not receive a response.

Preston Mizell is a reporter for Fox News. News tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and X @MizellPreston