U.S. Investigates Iran War Critic Trita Parsi, Considering Deportation

US Investigating Iran War Critic Trita Parsi, Co-Founder Of Non-Interventionist Think Tank Via Middle East Eye The Trump administration has launched an investigation into prominent Iran war critic Trita Parsi, according to a report in the Free Press. According to US officials and documents reviewed by the pro-Trump outlet, officials are looking into the possibility of deporting Parsi, who holds both Iranian and Swedish citizenship. via the Quincy Institute Parsi, who is co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and co-founded the National Iranian-American Council (NIAC), has been a vocal opponent of the ongoing US attacks on Iran. A Trump official told the Free Press that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been "very clear" in his intentions to tackle “people who support adversaries of ours and whose work furthers their agenda and undermines our security. “Anyone who seeks to undermine the US, we're taking a hard look at," the official said. Since the beginning of the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, the Trump administration has increasingly targeted figures of Iranian descent in the US. In April, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter Sarina were detained and had their residency permits rescinded after they were – incorrectly – identified as relatives of former Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani by far-right influencer Laura Loomer. Despite denying their links to Soleimani, the pair remain in custody in Texas. The US also detained and revoked the green cards of relatives of former Iranian minister Masoumeh Ebtekar in April. Parsi is a critic of the Islamic Republic whose family fled to Sweden to escape persecution in Iran. He has faced attacks from Iranian monarchists and pro-Trump figures over his opposition to the conflict. He has also been highly critical of US backing for what many call Israel's genocide in Gaza and its attacks on Lebanon. Speaking to Middle East Eye in May, Parsi warned that the US's ability to secure a deal with Iran would ultimately come down to its ability to restrain Israeli attacks in the region. "If Trump either cannot or will not do so, then the value of any agreement with Washington comes sharply into question," he said. A couple of years ago, the Quincy Institute, an anti-interventionist think tank, tallied which experts most often testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee between 2021 and 2024, under both Democrats and Republicans. The second most frequently invited think tank was… — Trita Parsi (@tparsi) June 9, 2026 "A ceasefire that leaves Israel free to reignite hostilities at will – while the United States remains unable to prevent itself from being dragged back into conflict – offers little assurance of stability. Under such circumstances, the utility of a deal with Washington diminishes dramatically." MEE contacted the US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security for comment, but had received no response from either at time of publication. Tyler Durden Thu, 06/11/2026 - 22:35

The Trump administration is reportedly investigating a critic of the Iran war, threatening to revoke his green card and deport him from the U.S. Trita Parsi is reportedly being targeted by the White House for his frequent criticisms of the Iran war. Parsi, a Swedish citizen born in Iran who holds U.S. permanent residency, co-founded the National Iranian American Council and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a foreign policy think tank. To some in the Trump administration, Parsi’s criticisms—and his push for diplomacy with the Iranian government—suggest more than a dissenting opinion. The administration has used immigration law against critics of its foreign policy, notably with college students who protest against U.S. support for Israel in its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. Parsi has for years been accused by some Iranian Americans of promoting the Iranian government’s interests, with many Republicans echoing those criticisms. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer, who has a lot of influence in the White House, called Parsi “a mouthpiece for the Iranian regime” who pushes “pro-Iranian regime talking points,” in an April X post. In May, Loomer wrote that Parsi’s “days in our country are numbered.”Loomer may have been involved in getting two Iranian women detained earlier this year after she claimed they were related to deceased Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others may still be taking her advice. The State Department under Trump has detained other critics, as well, including doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, who wrote an op-ed column about Gaza, and Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate whom the administration is still trying to deport over his role in protests on campus against the war in Gaza. The Quincy Institute is preparing to “cover the legal costs to prepare for—and if necessary—fight a deportation attack on Trita,” according to a memo obtained by The Free Press. If the administration pursues deportation against him, it would be a chilling attempt to disregard the First Amendment and send the message that anyone less than a full citizen of the U.S. does not have the right to free speech.