The Alavi Foundation, a Manhattan-based organization, is described as a key player in Iran’s efforts to influence the United States. The foundation’s assets include a 36-story office building on Fifth Avenue, as well as a building in Queens housing a mosque, a school, and a taxpayer-funded pre-K program. In 2017, the federal government seized the Fifth Avenue building, but an appellate judge overturned the action on procedural grounds, and the legal battle continues. The Alavi Foundation owns several other properties in the US, which it leases to Muslim organizations for $1 a year, using income from commercial rents to subsidize these leases.
The Fifth Avenue skyscraper has various tenants, including Nike’s flagship store, a Rolex service center, and law firms. The 17th floor of the building was previously rented by a fund owned by President Biden’s son Hunter and brother James. In Queens, the Alavi building houses the Islamic Institute of New York, the Imam Ali mosque, and the Al Razi School. The private school, which received over $1 million in government grants in 2022, is funded by the New York state Department of Education. The school and mosque have tried to distance themselves from their landlord, but the Alavi Foundation has financially supported them and maintains the building.
The GWU report highlighted that the Islamic Institute and mosque at the Alavi building frequently observe events related to the Iranian revolution and Quds Day, an annual anti-Israel day endorsed by Ayatollah Khomeini. Iranian officials, including former ambassador Mohammad Khazaee, have spoken at Alavi Foundation events and met with its leader, Farshid Jahedi. Despite the scrutiny, Alavi has not issued a comment on the allegations. The foundation’s financial support for the Islamic Institute and mosque raises concerns about its potential influence on the ideologies promoted by these entities.
The connections between the Alavi Foundation and Iranian political interests, as well as its involvement with religious and educational institutions in the US, have raised questions about its true intentions. The tax-exempt foundation’s ownership of high-profile properties and its leasing arrangements with Muslim organizations at below-market rates suggest a complex web of influence and financial support. The ongoing legal battle over the seizure of the Fifth Avenue building adds another layer of complexity to the situation. The GWU report sheds light on the extent of the foundation’s activities and its ties to Iranian officials and ideologies.
Despite attempts by the Islamic Institute and Al Razi School to distance themselves from the Alavi Foundation, the financial support and involvement of the foundation in their operations cannot be ignored. The foundation’s multi-million-dollar investments in maintaining and renovating the building where these institutions are located indicate a significant level of commitment to their activities. The commemoration of events related to the Iranian revolution and Quds Day by the Islamic Institute and mosque further underscore the potential influence of the Alavi Foundation in promoting specific political and religious ideologies. The lack of response from Alavi to inquiries about these allegations adds to the mystery surrounding its activities.
