ICAN: Iranian People are Victims of Islamic Republic, Not Deserving of Insult; J.D. Vance Should Apologize

The Iranian Christian Liberals Party (ICAN) released a statement condemning recent remarks by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance about the Iranian people as “insulting and devoid of truth,” and called on him to formally apologize to the Iranian people while emphasizing the distinction between the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian Christian Liberals Party (ICAN), responding to recent statements by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, issued a statement asserting that attributing negative characteristics to the Iranian nation is not only inconsistent with the historical and social realities of the country, but could also undermine the path toward dialogue and peace in the international arena.

This party, recognized as an opposition political movement based on secularism, democracy, and human rights, emphasized in its statement that a clear and explicit boundary must be drawn between the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic system. According to ICAN, the Iranian people should not be subjected to judgment or insulting remarks by foreign officials due to the performance of the ruling government.

In this statement, the Iranian nation is described as the heir to one of the world’s most ancient civilizations, and emphasis is placed on the role of Iranian immigrants in the scientific, economic, and cultural advancement of various countries, particularly the United States. The ICAN party also deemed the use of terms such as “terrorism” or “displacement” to describe the Iranian people as incorrect and contrary to reality, describing it as disrespectful to a nation that has borne the costs of Islamic Republic policies for decades.

This Christian political organization also attributed part of Iran’s current situation to years of incorrect policies and compromising approaches by Western governments toward the Islamic Republic, and emphasized that during this period, the Iranian people have been the “price” of foreign powers’ political decisions—people who, according to the statement’s authors, are themselves victims of these circumstances rather than their cause.

At the conclusion, ICAN called on J.D. Vance to correct his statements through a better understanding of Iran’s history and current realities, and to formally apologize to the Iranian people. The statement also urged U.S. officials to recognize the will of Iranians to achieve freedom, rule of law, and the establishment of a democratic system.

The Iranian Christian Liberals Party (ICAN) was established in 2019 with the aim of creating an organized presence for Iranian Christians in the political sphere. While emphasizing its Christian identity, the party supports the establishment of a secular, democratic government based on the rule of law in Iran.