List of Iranian Americans

This is a list of notable Iranian-Americans of all Iranian ethnic backgrounds.

List

Academia/science

* Ali Reza Mohseni Ejiyeh, Specialist of IT and programming
* Shahriar Afshar, physicist, namesake of Afshar experiment
* Siavash Alamouti, CTO Broad Band and INTEL fellow, inventor of Alamouti Code, code-communication engineer
* Nima Arkani-Hamed, physicist from Harvard
* Mina Bissell, scientist and biologist, LBL. [http://www.lbl.gov/lifesciences/labs/bissell_lab.html]
* Hamid Dabashi, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mealac/faculty/dabashi/ Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies] , Columbia University in New York.
* Richard Danielpour, Professor of Composition, Manhattan School of Music
* Nader Engheta, Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.
* Dara Entekhabi, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of Technology
* Nita Farahany, [http://law.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/faculty-detail/index.aspx?faculty_id=166] , Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, TN
* Nariman Farvardin, Provost of University of Maryland
* Ali Javan, physicist, inventor of gas laser, Professor Emeritus of Physics at MIT.
* Sepandar Kamvar, computer scientist, Stanford University.
* Mehran Kardar, physicist, MIT. [http://web.mit.edu/physics/facultyandstaff/faculty/mehran_kardar.html]
* Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, Founding Director of Center for Persian Studies, University of Maryland. [http://www.languages.umd.edu/persian/karimi.php]
* Abbas Milani, Director of Iranian Studies Program, Stanford University.
* Parviz Moin, Director and Senior Scientist, Stanford University. [http://www-fpc.stanford.edu/resp_m.html]
* Roxana Moslehi, DCEG post-doctoral fellow at National Cancer Institute [http://dceg.cancer.gov/people/MoslehiRoxana.html] , adjunct assistant professor at George Washington University.
* Hamid Mowlana, Director of the Division of International Communication at American University [http://www.american.edu/sis/faculty/facultybiographies/mowlana.htm]
* Firouz Naderi, NASA director of Mars project. [http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/spotlight/architects-of-exploration.html]
* Majid M. Naini, computer scientist, former Professor at University of Pennsylvania, Rumi expert. [http://www.naini.net]
* Seyyed Hossein Nasr, philosopher, George Washington University.
* Camran Nezhat, Director, Stanford Endoscopy Center for Training & Technology.
* Kaveh Pahlavan, Professor of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
* Homayoun Seraji, Senior Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory [http://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/people/Homayoun_Seraji/personFull.cfm#ProfessionalExperience]
* Ghavam Shahidi, IBM Fellow, Director of Silicon Technology
* Manuchehr Shahrokhi, Craig Fellow/Professor & Editor of Global Finance Journal California State University, Fresno. Executive Director, Global Finance Association. [http://www.globalfinance.csufresno.edu] [http://www.glofin.org]
* Azadeh Tabazadeh, microphysical scientist.
* Hechmat Tabechian, Executive Director of Rochester Academy of Medicine University of Rochester. [http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/pr/publication/PDF/RochMedFall02.pdf]
* Vahid Tarokh, leading communication theorist Harvard University. [http://people.deas.harvard.edu/~vahid]
* Fleur Tehrani, [http://www.fullerton.edu/ecs/ee/eefaculty.htm California State University -Fullerton] , professor and inventor of several medical devices. Read more under the title:Mechanical ventilation.
* Akbar Torbat, California State University,Dominguez Hills [http://www.csudh.edu/univadv/newsroom/2007/DH07_ABS32.htm] ,expert in foreign affairs and the political economy of Iran [http://www.blogger.com/profile/03951347082979763168] .
* Cumrun Vafa, String theorist in Harvard
* Ehsan Yarshater, Hagop Kevorkian Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies, Director of Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/epic/directory.html#y] , Founder and Editor of grand project Encyclopaedia Iranica. [http://www.perlit.sailorsite.net/yarshater/]
* Lotfi A. Zadeh, Mathematician and computer scientist, and a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley; father of Fuzzy Logic.
* Alia Sabur, Youngest professor in the world.
* Maryam Mirzakhani, Stanford University Professor.

Arts/entertainment

*Reza Abdoh, director
*Omid Abtahi, actor
*Shohreh Aghdashloo Academy Award-nominated film/television actresscite news | last =Stanley| first =John| coauthors=| title ='Nativity' Revisited| pages=| publisher =San Francisco Chronicle| date =2006-11-26 | url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/26/PKG2SMDKVJ1.DTL&type=movies| accessdate =2006-11-25 ]
*Dan Ahdoot, stand-up comedian [ [http://www.thetraveleronline.com/media/storage/paper688/news/2005/10/04/Lifestyles/Ahdoot.A.Hoot-1007573.shtml?norewrite200605211425&sourcedomain=www.thetraveleronline.com] "As an Iranian Jew, Ahdoot admits he struggled making friends growing up..."]
*Jonathan Ahdout, actor [ [http://www.ijchronicle.com/articles/75/1/Jonathan-Ahdout:-Young-Iranian-Jewish-Film-&-Television-Actor] "Jonathan Ahdout: Young Iranian Jewish Film & Television Actor"] [ [http://www.dreamworksfansite.com/houseofsandandfog/cast.php] "His family is Iranian-American, having left Tehran in 1982..."]
*Reza Badiyi, TV director
*Catherine Bell, model/actress in JAG and Army Wives (mother is Persian)
*Nadia Bjorlin, TV/soap opera actress [ [http://boards.sonypictures.com/soaps/showthread.php?t=7325] "Nadia Bjorlin, the 24 year old Swedish-Persian, American-born actress..."]
*Maz Jobrani, comedian
*Cyrus Kar, film director [ [http://www.venusproject.com/ecs/Cyrus_Kar_Filmmaker.html] "where Ted Koppel interviewed Iranian American Zoroastrian, Cyrus Kar..."]
*Andre Khabbazi, actor, semi-professional tennis player [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450974/ Andre Khabbazi ] ]
*Amir Malekpour, Comedian, Writer
*Rosie Malek-Yonan, actress, author, director, and documentary filmmaker
*Marshall Manesh, actor
*Hamid Moslehi, Michael Jackson's former main videographer/photographer [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0222054moslehi1.html] .
*Amir Naderi, film director
*Amin Nazemzadeh, actor
*Cyrus Nowrasteh, screenwriter and director
*Bijan Pakzad, noted fashion and fragrance designer
*Adrian Pasdar, actor
*Sara Racey Tabrizi, model and contestant in America's Next Top Model
*Shiva Rose, actress
*Sarah Shahi, model and actress [ [http://www.iranian.com/PhotoDay/2002/October/shahi.html Iranian.com | Archive Pages ] ]
*Daryush Shokof, artist,film director
*Bahar Soomekh, actress [ [http://www.forward.com/articles/7723] "Persian Jewish actress Bahar Soomekh earned some serious attention last year when she played a young Iranian in "Crash," the Academy Award winner for best picture."]
*Bob Yari, Academy Award winner film producer
*Leyla Milani: Leyla is an Iranian-Canadian actress, model, Maxim Girl, host, fashion designer and a well rounded "Jack-of-all-trades." [ [http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/models/leyla.shtml] "She's appeared on several hit television shows including NBC's "Las Vegas", "Las Comic Standing", CW's "All of Us", Fox's "Stacked", "Desire", CMT's reality show "Popularity Contest," (Her only comment on the show – "Those people sure ate a lot of red meat"), TNT's drama, "Wanted," Larry David's HBO smash, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and Showtime's "Sleeper Cell", just to name a few. "]

Aviation

* Farhad Rostampour is the first Iranian-born pilot to complete a record setting flight around the world.

Business/technology

* Anousheh Ansari, first female space tourist, leading telecommunication entrepreneur, and namesake of the X Prize
* Shahram Dabiri, video game producer, lead producer of World of Warcraft
* Hossein Eslambolchi, AT&T's Chief Technology Officer and the President of Bell Labs. [http://www.comsoc.org/iscc/2002/bio3.htm]
* Vartan Gregorian, President of The Carnegie Corporation of New York. [http://www.carnegie.org/sub/about/vgregorian.html]
* Omid Kordestani, Senior Vice President of Google
* Manny Mashouf, founder and Chairman of bebe stores
* Sam Nazarian, CEO of the SBE Entertaintment Group
* Farzad Nazem, former CTO of Yahoo!
* Mehrdad Nikoonahad, founder & CEO, Nikoo Technology, Inc.
* Pierre Omidyar, founder of e-Bay (born to Iranian parents). [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_49/b3760605.htm]
* Omid Razavi, President of KXEN Inc.
* Sina Tamaddon, Senior Vice President of Applications for Apple Computer. [http://www.apple.com/pr/photos/execs/tamaddonphotos.html]

Literature

* Reza Aslan, writer
* Mahnaz Badihian, poet
* Najmieh Batmanglij, chef, writer
* Firoozeh Dumas, writer of "Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America"
* Roya Hakakian, writer
* Rosie Malek-Yonan, author of [http://www.thecrimsonfield.com "The Crimson Field"]
* Azar Nafisi, writer
* Majid M. Naini, writer, speaker
* Vali Nasr, writer, speaker
* Shahrnoosh Parsipour, writer
* Dalia Sofer, writer

Media/journalism

* Christiane Amanpour, CNN chief international correspondent
* Davar Ardalan, NPR producer of "Morning Edition"
* Rudi Bakhtiar, FOX news anchor, former CNN lead anchor
* Alireza Jafarzadeh, FOX News Channel Foreign Affairs Analyst
* Arash Markazi, journalist, Sports Illustrated
* Azadeh Moaveni, journalist, Time Magazine
* Asiyeh Namdar, CNN news anchor
* Atoosa Rubenstein, former editor in chief of Seventeen (magazine)

Music

* Lily Afshar, female classical guitarist
* Billy Ray Cyrus, country singer
* Pouyan Afkary, synthesizer musician, member of Scary Kids Scaring Kids
* Axiom of Choice, world music group
* Leila Bela, Avant-garde musician, actress, writer and former member of Pigface
* Richard Danielpour, composer, Professor of Composition, Manhattan School of Music
* Deep Dish, electronic music group
* Rostam Batmanglij, keyboard player of Vampire Weekend and a music producer.
* Anousheh Khalili, vocalist
* Lotfi Mansouri, opera director
* Daron Malakian, guitarist/vocalist of four-piece Alternative metal band System Of A Down "(Armenian-Iranian mother)"
*Tony Petrossian, music video director [http://www.garageradio.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1650] [http://www.guitarworld.com/article/second_coming_slayer_s_christ_illusion_rises_again] [http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/30/215217.php]

Politics

* Goli Ameri, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, former U.S. public delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, and former Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives from the 1st district of Oregon
* Hushang Ansary, former Iranian Minister of Finance and Chairman of National Finance Committee of Bush-Cheney 2004 Campaign
* Michael Benjamin, 1996 Republican candidate for the U.S. House from the 8th district of New York, and 2004 United States Senate Republican Primary candidate from New York
* Jimmy Delshad, Mayor of Beverly Hills, California
* Ross Mirkarimi, Member of San Francisco City Council from the Green Party.
* David Safavian, disgraced former Chief of Staff of the United States General Services Administration
* Faryar Shirzad, former Deputy National Security Advisor and White House Deputy Assistant for International Economic Affairs to President George W. Bush

Sports

* Andre Agassi, retired championship-winning American tennis player (father is Iranian) [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Agassi] ]
* Amin Abraham Paul Nikfar, Shot Put for the Iranian National Team and 1st Iranian Asian Indoor Champion 2004 (http://asianathletics.org/results/ai-results.htm)
* Esfandiar Baharmast, World Cup referee, FIFA Instructor, known as "Esse Baharmast"
*Shawn Daivari, professional wrestler and manager, better known by his stage names of "Sheik Abdul Bashir" or simply "Daivari" [ [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/shawn-daivari.html] "Shawn Daivari is Iranian and the foreign language he speaks during his promos is Persian not Arabic."]
* Farzad Bonyadi, world champion of poker
* Antonio Esfandiari, champion poker player
* Hamid Dastmalchi, world champion of poker
* Alecko Eskandarian, soccer player, United States national team [ [http://www.iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/May/alecko.html Iranian.com | Archive Pages ] ]
* Andranik Eskandarian, former soccer player
* Matt Ghaffari, Olympic silver-medal winning wrestler
* Afshin Ghotbi, soccer coach, former assistant coach of Korea Republic national football team and LA Galaxy, currently coaching Iran's Persepolis F.C.
* T. J. Houshmandzadeh, NFL player (father is Iranian)
* King Kamali, IFBB pro bodybuilder
* George Malek-Yonan, Iran's "Champion of Champions" in Track & Field and Pentathelon
* Michael Shabaz, tennis player, 2005 Wimbledon boys' doubles championship
* Amir Vahedi, professional poker player
* Leila Vaziri, The current world record holder of the 50 m women's backstroke
* Khosrow Vaziri, retired professional wrestler, better known by his stage name of "The Iron Sheik"

References

See also

*Iranian American
*Modern Iranian scientists and engineers
*List of Iranians
*List of British Iranians
*US-Iran relations
*Famous Americans in Iran