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| Fifth Column |
| NYC Mayor Mamdani to receive ‘peacemaker award' alongside controversial Iranian lobbying group |
| 2026-10-03 |
| [NYPost] Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a controversial Iranian-American lobbying group will be honored with “peacemaker” awards by a New York state non-profit group next week. The mayor won’t be in attendance to accept the William Sloane Coffin Jr. Peacemaker Award at the October 5 event hosted by the Peace Action Fund of New York State, a City Hall spokesperson said Friday, but did not provide any additional clarity on the decision. Mamdani was awarded the honor “as a former student organizer whose support of Palestinian rights resonates with many of the students of our Campus Organizing Program,” PAFNYS, an anti-war non-profit group, wrote on Instagram. But the organization — the educational and research arm of Peace Action New York State — is also honoring the National Iranian American Council, a Washington DC-based non-profit whose ethics have been called into questions in recent years, City Journal first reported. “This year’s event honors the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) for being a leading voice for peace and diplomacy with Iran,” and Mayor Zohran Mamdani,” PAFNYS wrote. Critics of the group, including Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Mike Braun, in 2020 called on the Justice Department to investigate it for possible coordination with the Iranian government. Last week, NIAC — which states its primary mission as to bridge relations between the US and Iran — filed a lawsuit against President Trump’s administration challenging the war in Iran, arguing “the president is waging an unconstitutional war without authorization from Congress.” “NIAC is an independent Iranian-American nonprofit organization that has advocated for our community for more than 20 years. Our work is guided by our members and our longstanding commitment to human rights, civil liberties, diplomacy, and peace,” a spokesperson for the organization told The Post in a statement. “NIAC is funded by the Iranian-American community and prominent American foundations. NIAC does not receive funds from either the Iranian government or any government.” City Hall came under fire just three months ago for a planned meeting between Mamdani’s international affairs commissioner, Ana Maria Archila, and Iranian ambassador and UN envoy Amir-Saeid Iravani. The scheduled July meeting was thwarted by the US State Department – and Hizzoner downplayed his office’s involvement at the time of the revelation. “The commissioner recognizes that this was made in error and we’re working on a new process in terms of new meeting requests,” he told reporters at an unrelated event in July. “Again, this was a request that came into the office, not one that originated from the office.” The William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Peace Maker awards will take place at Scandinavia House in Midtown on Monday at 6 p.m. Related: Zohran Mamdani 09/30/2026 Mamdani antisemitism plan disregards anti-Zionism, leaving Jewish groups unsatisfied Zohran Mamdani 09/29/2026 Open Prostitution Booms in NYC. It's All Part of the Socialist Plan. Zohran Mamdani 09/25/2026 Netanyahu at UN: We're going to win. We have no other choice Related: National Iranian American Council: 2026-07-09 Lawsuit says US illegally shared confidential information on Iranian asylum seekers with Iran National Iranian American Council: 2026-05-15 Israel, Jews targeted worldwide as well-funded leftist, Islamist groups join for ‘Nakba 78' protests National Iranian American Council: 2025-11-30 Human interest:With Iran’s regime wary of widespread dissent, Tehran women let their hair down |
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