Alavi Foundation
TheAlavi Foundation(formerlyPahlavi Foundation) is a publicnot-for-profit organizationbased in the United States.
Its headquarters are in Suite 2406 of650 Fifth AvenueinMidtown Manhattan.[2]
In 2017 U.S. Federal prosecutors sanctioned the Alavi Foundation for being "controlled by the Iranian Government."[3]
History
[edit]The Alavi Foundation is the successor organization to the Pahlavi Foundation, a nonprofit group used by ShahMohammad Reza Pahlavito advanceIran's charitable interests in America.[4]Most of the charity's income is from rent collected on thePiaget Building,a skyscraper onFifth AvenueinNew York City.The building was built in 1978 for the Shah, who was overthrown in 1979.
In November 2009, federal prosecutors in the United States seized its assets.[5]The seized assets include bank accounts; Islamic centers consisting of schools and mosques in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston; more than 100 acres (0.40 km2) in Virginia; and the Piaget Building, a 36-story glass office tower in New York.
Without rent from the skyscraper, the Alavi Foundation would have almost no way to continue supporting the Islamic centers, which house schools and mosques. The most recent tax records show the foundation earned $4.5 million from rents in 2007.
Legal scholars said they know of only a few cases in U.S. history in which law enforcement authorities have seized a house of worship. Marc Stern, a religious-liberty expert with the American Jewish Congress, called such cases extremely rare.[6]On April 18, 2014, the Piaget building was seized by authorities due to alleged links to theIranian government,citing violation of American sanctions against Tehran.[7]
Purposes
[edit]The Alavi Foundation:[8]
- Grants money to American universities includingColumbia UniversityandRutgers Universityto fund centers for Persian and Middle Eastern studies.
- Encourages universities in North America to offer courses on Persian language, Iranian studies and the Islamic culture with a focus on Shi’ite studies;
- Supports Weekend Persian Schools throughout the United States that linkIranian Americanswith their Persian heritage;
- Supports Islamic centers that are established and used by local Muslim communities throughout the United States;
- Established a book distribution program for those unable to purchase these books on their own;
- Provides funds to support disaster relief projects;
- Provides funds to support Islamic and Persian arts;
- Provides funds supporting scholarly research projects in Iranian and Islamic/Shi’ite studies; and
- Has a student loan program.[9]
References
[edit]- ^Satow, Julie (24 September 2013)."Seizing Iran's Slice of Fifth Avenue".The New York Times.Retrieved28 August2014.
- ^"Home."Alavi Foundation. Retrieved on July 5, 2016." The Alavi Foundation 650 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2406 New York, New York 10019 "
- ^U.S. Can Seize Iran-Owned NYC Tower After Jury Sanction Ruling
- ^"Foundation for the Establishment of Prince Alireza Pahlavi Fund for Ancient Iranian Studies".RetrievedOctober 26,2012.
- ^Adam Goldman, Associated Press. "Feds to seize 4 mosques, tower linked to Iran",November 12, 2009ArchivedNovember 15, 2009, at theWayback Machine
- ^[1]ArchivedNovember 14, 2009, at theWayback Machine
- ^"Iran condemns US seizure of Alavi Foundation building".18 April 2014.Retrieved19 April2014.
- ^"Alavi Foundation Programs".Archived fromthe originalon November 5, 2012.RetrievedOctober 26,2012.
- ^[2]ArchivedJune 18, 2009, at theWayback Machine
