US Schools Receiving Iran-linked Money from Alavi Foundation

Iran Focus: Washington, DC, 07. May – The New York-based Alavi Foundation, accused by federal prosecutors of acting as a front to provide money and services to Iran, donated $3.1 million to U.S. universities and other schools in North America from 2000 to 2008, an investigation by Iran Focus has found.

Iran Focus

Washington, DC, 07. May – The New York-based Alavi Foundation, accused by federal prosecutors of acting as a front to provide money and services to Iran, donated $3.1 million to U.S. universities and other schools in North America from 2000 to 2008, an investigation by Iran Focus has found.

Iran Focus is publishing a list of the schools that received funds from the foundation, which is suspected of attempting to buy academic support for Iran, although its stated aim was to encourage Persian studies and Islamic educational programs, particularly Shiite ones.

In November, U.S. authorities moved to seize properties owned by the foundation, including a 36-story building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and four mosques, effectively shutting down its operations.

The foundation was set up in the 1970s by the late shah of Iran as the Pahlavi Foundation. It was taken over by the Islamic Republic of Iran after the shah was overthrown in 1979. The U.S. government claims it funnelled money to Iran’s Bank Melli which is accused of supporting the country’s nuclear and ballistic missiles program. The foundation’s president, Farshid Jahedi, 55, was arrested in late 2008 on charges of obstruction of justice after he threw away documents sought by a grand jury. He was sentenced Friday to three months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts.

The Iran Focus investigation has determined that the activities of the foundation were in fact directed by Iran’s then-ambassador to the United Nations, Javad Zarif.

According to documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service, the Alavi Foundation has provided substantial funds to numerous educational institutions, including Columbia University and Harvard.

Some experts believe that such largesse was designed to entice scholars to write articles or policy recommendations advocating against a tough U.S. policy on Iran and proposing conciliation and engagement.

The following is a list of schools that received funding from the foundation between 2000 and 2008. Amounts are in U.S. dollars.

2008:
Columbia University: 50,000
Harvard Seminary: 17,500
Harvard University: 41,000
Kutztown University: 4,000
McGill University: 40,000
Portland State University Foundation: 16,750
Sacred Heart University: 5,000
San Diego State University: 40,000
University of Alberta: 5,000
University of Michigan: 16,000

2007:
Carleton University: 10,000
Catholic University of America: 45,000
Columbia University: 100,000
Harvard Law School: 17,000
Harvard University: 41,000
Hunter College: 6,000
Kutztown University: 5,000
Lake Forest College: 20,000
McGill University: 80,000
Portland State University Foundation: 32,500
Rutgers University: 72,500
Sacred Heart University: 39,000
San Diego State University: 48,000
The City College of New York: 1,000
University of California, Berkeley: 30,000
University of California, Los Angeles: 10,000
University of Maryland: 50,000

2006:
Binghamton University: 7,500
Catholic University of America: 60,000
City of Knowledge (Islamic schools): 50,000
City University of New York: 1,000
Columbia University: 20,000
Harvard University: 36,000
Hunter College: 6,000
Kutztown University: 3,000
New York University: 350
Portland State University: 20,000
Rutgers University: 40,500
Sacred Heart University: 60,000
The Ohio State University: 3,000
University of Michigan: 16,000
University of Pennsylvania: 5,000
University of Southern California: 3,000

2005:
Binghamton University: 5,000
California State University Los Angeles: 2,000
Catholic University of America: 75,000
City of Knowledge: 30,000
Harvard University: 36,000
Hunter College: 6,000
McGill University: 30,000
Portland State University Foundation: 47,500
Rutgers Foundation: 75,000
Rutgers University: 163,600
Sacred Heart University: 10,000
University of Pennsylvania: 40,000
University of Southern California: 10,000

2004:
Catholic University of America: 75,000
City of Knowledge: 20,000
Columbia University: 50,000
Georgia State University: 13,000
Harvard University: 41,000
Hunter College: 14,000
Portland State University: 18,000
Rutgers University: 137,500
Sacred Heart University: 3,000
San Diego State University: 3,000
University of Alberta: 5,000
University of California, Berkeley: 30,000
University of California, Los Angeles: 10,000

2003:
Bard College: 3,000
California State University, Fullerton: 3,000
Catholic University of America: 45,000
City of Knowledge: 48,750
Georgia State University: 16,000
Harvard University: 30,000
Hunter College: 2,500
Rutgers University: 81,000
The University of Arizona: 22,000
University of Akron: 3,000
University of California, Berkeley: 13,000
University of Pennsylvania: 25,000
University of Utah: 5,000
University of Virginia: 25,000
University of Wisconsin: 6,000

2002:
Brigham Young University: 3,000
Catholic University of America: 75,000
City of Knowledge: 29,250
Drew University: 3,000
Harvard University: 54,000
Hunter College: 5,000
McGill University: 12,000
Rutgers University: 75,000
University of Arizona: 15,000
University of Michigan: 32,000
University of Utah: 3,000
University of Virginia: 6,000
University of Wisconsin, Madison: 19,500

2001:
Binghamton University: 3,000
City of Knowledge: 20,000
Harvard University: 23,500
Hunter College: 5,000
Rutgers University: 30,000
The University of Arizona: 35,000
University of Texas: 10,000
University of Utah: 5,000
University of Virginia: 15,000
McGill University: 24,000
University of Alberta: 5,000

2000:
Columbia University: 32,000
Harvard University: 23,500
Ohio State University: 20,000
University of Arizona: 51,800
University of Utah: 3,000
University of Virginia: 21,000

Payments made over these nine years totaled: $3,110,000 according to documents filed with the IRS.