The advocacy group formally petitioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to rescind the suspension of long-standing general licenses. These licenses previously allowed organizations like the Education Testing Service to administer the TOEFL and GRE exams to students in Iran. Following the latest sanctions, those testing services—along with the Duolingo English Test—have been rendered inaccessible to Iranians, creating a significant bottleneck for those seeking international education.
NIAC Urges Administration to Reverse Sanctions Blocking Iranian Students
The National Iranian American Council is calling on the Trump administration to reinstate educational and cultural exemptions after new sanctions under 'Operation Economic Outcast' effectively barred Iranian nationals from critical academic testing, fueling concerns that the policy disproportionately harms ordinary citizens rather than the Iranian government.
NIAC president Jamal Abdi argued that while the administration claims these measures target the Iranian government’s activities near the Strait of Hormuz, the impact is falling almost exclusively on students and American educational entities. Abdi urged officials to restore 31 CFR § 560.544 and Iran General License G, warning that the current policy sends a message that the U.S. is at war with the Iranian people. Beyond academics, the group highlighted that suspended licenses for remittances and sports exchanges offer no strategic advantage, potentially complicating events like the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles while unnecessarily isolating ordinary Iranians.
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