Middle Eastern Americans areAmericans ofMiddle Eastern background. Although once consideredAsian Americans, the modern definition of "Asian American" now excludes people withWest Asian backgrounds.^[2]

According to the2020 United States census, over 3.5 million people self-identified as being Middle Eastern andNorth African ethnic origin. However, this definition includes more than just the Middle East.^[3]

One of the first large groups of immigration from theMiddle East to theUnited States came by boat from theOttoman Empire in the late 1800s. Although US officials referred to them as Turkish, most referred to themselves as Syrian, and it is estimated that 85 percent of these Ottoman immigrants came from modernLebanon. Later, new categories were created for Syrians and Lebanese.^[4]

The number of Armenians who migrated to the US from 1820 to 1898 is estimated to be around 4,000^[5]: 34 and according to theBureau of Immigration, 54,057 Armenians entered the US between 1899 and 1917, with the vast majority coming from the Ottoman Empire.^[6] The largestArmenian American communities at that time were located inNew York City;Fresno;Worcester, Massachusetts;Boston;Philadelphia;Chicago;Jersey City;Detroit;Los Angeles;Troy, New York; andCleveland.^[7]

Another wave of immigration from the Middle East began in 1946, peaking after the 1960s. Since 1968, these immigrants have arrived from such countries asIran,Iraq,Israel,occupied Palestinian territories,Syria,Egypt, andLebanon.^[4]

The US Census Bureau is still finalizing the ethnic classification of MENA populations for the2030 US census. Middle Eastern Americans are currently counted as racially White on the census, although many do not identify as such. In 2012, prompted in part by post-9/11 discrimination, theAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee petitioned the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency to designate the MENA populations as a minority/disadvantaged community.^[8] Following consultations with MENA organizations, the US Census Bureau announced in 2014 that it would establish a new MENA ethnic category for populations from the Middle East,North Africa, and theArab world, separate from the "white" classification that these populations had previously sought in 1909. The expert groups felt that the earlier "White" designation no longer accurately represents MENA identity, so they successfully lobbied for a distinct categorization.^[9][10] This process does not currently include ethnoreligious groups such asSikhs, as the Bureau only tabulates these groups as followers of religions rather than members of ethnic groups.^[11]

According to the Arab American Institute, countries of origin for Arab Americans includeAlgeria,Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq,Jordan,Kuwait, Lebanon,Libya,Morocco,Oman,Qatar, Palestine,Saudi Arabia, Syria,Tunisia,United Arab Emirates, andYemen. As of December 2015, the sampling strata for the new MENA category includes the Census Bureau's working classification of 19 MENA groups, as well as Armenian,Afghan, Iranian, Israeli,Azerbaijani, andGeorgian groups.^[12]

The new question on the US census will identify members of the MENA category to include:^[13]

"Individuals with origins in any of the original peoples of the Middle East or North Africa, including, for example, Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, and Israeli."

The population of Middle Eastern Americans includes both Arabs and non-Arabs. In their definitions of Middle Eastern Americans,United States Census Bureau and theNational Health Interview Survey include peoples (diasporic or otherwise) from present-day Iran, Israel,Turkey, andArmenia.^[37][38]

As of 2013, an estimated 1.02 million immigrants from theMiddle East and North Africa (MENA) lived in the United States, making up 2.5 percent of the country's 41.3 million immigrants.^[39] Middle Eastern and North African immigrants have primarily settled inCalifornia (20%),Michigan (11%), andNew York (10%). Data from theUnited States Census Bureau shows that from 2009 to 2013, the four counties with the most MENA immigrants wereLos Angeles County, California;Wayne County, Michigan (Detroit),Cook County, Illinois (Chicago), andKings County, New York (Brooklyn); these four counties collectively "accounted for about 19 percent of the total MENA immigrant population in the United States."^[40]

Although theUnited States census hasrecorded race and ethnicity since the first census in 1790, this information has been voluntary since the end of theCivil War (non-whites werecounted differently from 1787 to 1868 for the purpose of determining congressional representation).^[41] As such, these statistics do not include those who did not volunteer this optional information, and so the census underestimates the total populations of each ethnicity actually present.^[42]

Although tabulated, "religious responses" were reported as a single total and not differentiated, despite totaling 1,089,597 in 2000.^[43]

Independent organizations provide improved estimates of the total populations of races and ethnicities in the US using the raw data from the US census and other surveys.

According to a 2002Zogby International survey, the majority ofArab Americans wereChristian; the survey showed that 24% of Arab Americans were Muslim, 63% were Christian and 13% belonged to another religion or no religion.^[44] Christian Arab Americans includeCatholics,Orthodox, andProtestants; Muslim Arab Americans primarily adhere to one of the two main Islamic denominations,Sunni andShia.^[44]

This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2024)

• Rami Malek,Coptic Egyptian, Emmy Award and Academy Award - winning actor for Bohemian Rhapsody
• Mehmet Öz, Turkish, cardiothoracic surgeon, formerly host of The Dr. Oz Show
• Kim Kardashian, half Armenian, reality television star, socialite, model, businesswoman, producer, and actress
• Gigi Hadid, half-Palestinian, supermodel and TV personality
• Paul Anka, Lebanese, singer/songwriter
• Hoda Kotb, Egyptian, broadcast journalist and TV host on Dateline NBC and the Today Show
• Casey Kasem, LebaneseDruze, radio personality and voice actor, co-founder ofAmerican Top 40 franchise
• Jamie Farr, Lebanese, character actor
• Tony Shalhoub, Lebanese, three-time Emmy Award-winning television actor on Monk
• Shannon Elizabeth, Syrian-Lebanese, film actress (American Pie,Scary Movie)
• DJ Khaled, Palestinian, hip-hop DJ, rapper, music producer
• Haim Saban,Egypt-born Israeli American, television andmedia proprietor
• Peter Attia, Coptic Egyptian, physician known for his work in longevity medicine.
• Jerry Seinfeld, half-Syrian, actor, comedian, writer, producer, and filmmaker
• Paula Abdul, half-Syrian, Emmy and Grammy award-winning singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and TV personality

• Daron Acemoglu, economist, of Armenian descent
• Mohammed Salah Baouendi, was a Tunisian Americanmathematician. His research concernedpartial differential equations and the theory ofseveral complex variables
• Moungi Bawendi, is an American–Tunisianchemist. He is known for his advances in the chemical production of high-qualityquantum dots. For this work, he was awarded theNobel Prize in Chemistry in 2023.
• Zohra Aziza Baccouche, was an American physicist and science filmmaker.
• Mounir Laroussi, is a Tunisian-American scientist. He is known for his work inplasma science.
• Huda Akil, Syrian American neuroscientist and medical researcher
• Adah al-Mutairi (Saudi Arabian), inventor and scholar in nanotechnology and nanomedicine
• M. Amin Arnaout, Lebanese American nephrologist and biologist
• Naseer Aruri, chancellor professor of political science at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (Palestinian)
• Anthony Atala, director of theWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (Lebanese)
• İlhan Aksay, professor, Princeton University^[45]
• Elias J. Corey, organic chemistry professor at Harvard University, winner of the 1990Nobel Prize in Chemistry^[46] (Lebanese parents)
• Michael E. DeBakey, Lebanese American cardiovascular surgeon and researcher,^[47] 1963Lasker Award laureate
• Mostafa El-Sayed, Egyptian American USNational Medal of Science laureate; leading nanoscience researcher; known for thespectroscopy rule named after him, theEl-Sayed rule
• Farouk El-Baz Egyptian American space scientist who worked withNASA to assist in the planning of scientific exploration of the Moon
• Yasmine Belkaid, Algerian American immunologist, professor and a senior investigator at theNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Hunein Maassab, Syrian American professor ofepidemiology and the inventor of thelive attenuated influenza vaccine
• Joanne Chory, plant biologist and geneticist (Lebanese)
• Noureddine Melikechi, Algerian American Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physicist, member of theMars Science Laboratory
• Michel T. Halbouty, Lebanese American geologist and geophysicist; pioneer in oil field research
• Essam Heggy, Egyptian AmericanPlanetary scientist
• Shadia Habbal, Syrian American astronomer and physicist specialized inSpace physics
• Mohamed Atalla, engineer, inventor ofMOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductorfield-effect transistor), pioneer insiliconsemiconductors andsecurity systems, founder ofAtalla Corporation^[48]
• Charles Elachi, Lebanese American professor of electrical engineering and planetary science atCaltech and the former director of theJet Propulsion Laboratory
• Fawwaz T. Ulaby Syrian American professor of electrical engineering and computer science, former vice president of research for theUniversity of Michigan; first Arab American winner of theIEEE Edison Medal
• Taher ElGamal, Egyptian American cryptographer, inventor of theElGamal discrete log cryptosystem and theElGamal signature scheme
• Ali H. Nayfeh, Palestinian American mechanical engineer, the 2014 recipient ofBenjamin Franklin Medal in mechanical engineering
• Dina Katabi, Syrian American professor of electrical engineering and computer science atMIT and the director of the MIT Wireless Center.
• Abbas El Gamal, Egyptian American electrical engineer, educator and entrepreneur, the recipient of the 2012Claude E. Shannon Award
• Oussama Khatib, roboticist and professor of computer science
• Elias Zerhouni, former director of theNational Institutes of Health (Algerian)
• Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah, Lebanese American technology innovator.^[49][50] He received 43 patents covering his work. Among the patents were reported innovations in television transmission.
• Mohammad S. Obaidat (Jordanian), computer science/engineering academic and scholar
• Charbel Farhat, Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures; Director of the Army High Performance Computing Research Center; Chair of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University (Lebanese)
• Hany Farid, professor of computer science atDartmouth College, pioneer inDigital forensics (Egyptian)
• Munther A. Dahleh, professor and director atMassachusetts Institute of Technology (Palestinian)
• Ismail al-Faruqi, philosopher, professor (Palestinian)
• Fouad Ajami, professor of international relations (Lebanese)
• Saddeka Arebi, professor of anthropology atUC Berkeley (Libyan)
• Mohammed Adam El-Sheikh, executive director of theFiqh Council of North America^[51] (Sudanese)
• Samih Farsoun, sociology professor at the American University^[52] (Palestinian)
• Philip Khuri Hitti, historian of Arab culture and history (Lebanese)
• Philip S. Khoury, Ford International professor of history and associate provost at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (Lebanese)
• Laura Nader, cultural anthropologist (Lebanese)
• Nada Shabout, art historian and professor of art history atUniversity of North Texas (Palestinian-Iraqi)
• Nadia Abu El Haj, author and professor of anthropology atBarnard College and subject of a major tenure controversy case atColumbia University (Palestinian)
• Ibrahim Abu-Lughod, former director of Graduate Studies atNorthwestern University, father ofLila Abu-Lughod (Palestinian)
• Lila Abu-Lughod, professor of anthropology and women's and gender studies at Columbia University (Palestinian)
• Leila Farsakh, professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston (Palestinian)
• Samih Farsoun, professor of sociology atAmerican University and editor ofArab Studies Quarterly (Palestinian)
• Nadia Hijab, Journalist withMiddle East Magazine and Senior Fellow at theInstitute for Palestine Studies (Palestinian)
• Rashid Khalidi,Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University (Palestinian-Lebanese)
• Farid Khavari, economist, specialist in economics, environment, oil, healthcare, & the Middle East.
• Joseph Massad, professor at Columbia University known for his work onnationalism and sexuality in the Arab world (Palestinian)
• Afshin Molavi, author and expert on global geo-political risk and geo-economics, particularly the Middle East and Asia.
• Hisham Sharabi professor emeritus of history andUmar al-Mukhtar Chair of Arab Culture atGeorgetown University (Palestinian)
• Rosemarie Said Zahlan, historian, journalist, and author, sister ofEdward Said (Palestinian-Lebanese)
• Steven Salaita, former professor of English atVirginia Tech, winner of Myers Outstanding Book Award for the Study of Human Rights 2007 (Palestinian)
• Majid Khadduri, academic and founder of thePaul H. Nitze School of Advanced International StudiesMiddle East Studies program (Iraqi)
• Thomas L. Saaty, Assyrian-Iraqi University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh
• Ella Shohat, professor, author and activist (Iraqi-Jewish)
• Saadi Simawe, translator, novelist and teacher (Iraqi)
• Aziz Sancar, biochemist and molecular biologist specializing in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, and circadian clock. Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2015 (Turkish)
• Donny George Youkhanna, Iraqi archaeologist, anthropologist, author, curator, and scholar, and visiting professor at Stony Brook University in New York, internationally known as "the man who saved the Iraqi National Museum."
• Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, teaches religion, science, and freedom at theUniversity of Maryland, College Park; directs theMinaret of Freedom Institute^[53][54] (Palestinian)
• Muhsin Mahdi, Iraqi AmericanIslamologist andArabist.
• Talal Asad, anthropologist at theCUNY Graduate Center. (Saudi Arabian)
• Mitch Daniels, president ofPurdue University (Syrian)
• Donna Shalala, president of theUniversity of Miami (Lebanese)
• Joseph E. Aoun, president ofNortheastern University (Lebanese)
• Robert Khayat, chancellor of theUniversity of Mississippi (Lebanese)
• Behnaam Aazhang, J. S. Abercrombie Professor inElectrical and Computer Engineering atRice University (Iranian)
• Kamyar Abdi, archaeologist, former assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology,Dartmouth College (Iranian)
• Alexander Abian, mathematician,Iowa State University (Iranian-Armenian)
• Mohammad Javad Abdolmohammadi, John E. Rhodes Professor of Accounting atBentley University since 1988. (Iranian)
• Ervand Abrahamian, historian of Middle Eastern (particularly Iranian) history atCity University of New York (Iranian)
• Janet Afary, author, feminist activist, and professor of Religious Studies at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara. (Iranian)
• Gholam Reza Afkhami, senior scholar and director of Social Science Research and International Studies at theFoundation for Iranian Studies
• Shahriar Afshar, physicist and inventor who is the namesake of theAfshar experiment
• Newsha Ajami, hydrologist specializing in urban water policy and sustainable water management; professor and director of Urban Water Policy program atStanford University
• Abass Alavi, professor of radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Neurology at theUniversity of Pennsylvania^[55]
• Leonardo Alishan, professor of Persian and Comparative Literature at theUniversity of Utah (1978–1997)
• Abbas Alizadeh, archeologist of ancient Iran; former senior research associate and director of the Iranian Prehistoric Project at theUniversity of Chicago
• Abbas Amanat, professor of history and international studies atYale University
• Hooshang Amirahmadi, academic and political analyst. Professor of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy atRutgers University
• Nahid Angha,Sufi scholar,. Co-director and co-founder of theInternational Association of Sufism (IAS), founder of the International Sufi Women Organization, and executive editor of the journalSufism: An Inquiry
• Anousheh Ansari, first Iranian in space and the first femalespace tourist;
• Nima Arkani-Hamed,theoretical physicist and professor at theInstitute for Advanced Study inPrinceton, New Jersey
• Abbas Ardehali, surgical director ofUCLA's Heart and Lung Transplant program
• Saïd Amir Arjomand, professor ofsociology atStony Brook University, and director of the Stony Brook Institute of Global Studies. Founding editor of theJournal of Persianate Studies
• Yahya Armajani, professor of history and soccer coach atMacalester College
• Reza Aslan, scholar of religious studies, television host, and author ofNo God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam andZealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Currently a professor ofcreative writing atUniversity of California, Riverside. Board member of theNational Iranian American Council (NAIC)
• Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl, structural engineer and professor atUniversity of California, Berkeley; investigated the collapse of theWorld Trade Center towers due to theSeptember 11 attacks
• Fakhreddin Azimi, professor of history at theUniversity of Connecticut
• Babak Azizzadeh, facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon,Keck School of Medicine of USC
• Sussan Babaie, art historian and curator, specialist inPersian art andIslamic art of the early modern period.especially theSafavid dynasty
• Shaul Bakhash, historian, expert in Iranian studies,George Mason University, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of History
• Laleh Bakhtiar, author and translator of 25 books about Islam, many of which deal withSufism. She is best known for her 2007 translation of theQur'an, known asThe Sublime Quran,
• Mehrsa Baradaran, law professor specializing inbanking law atUniversity of Georgia
• Iraj Bashiri, professor ofhistory at theUniversity of Minnesota specialist in the fields ofCentral Asian studies andIranian studies
• Asef Bayat, professor of sociology and Middle Eastern studies at theUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
• Manuel Berberian, earth scientist, specializing inearthquake seismology,geophysics,archaeoseismology, andenvironmental geoscience
• Mina Bissell, scientist and biologist known for research onbreast cancer; former head of life science at theLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• George Bournoutian, historian, professor of history atIona College, and author of over 30 books on the history of Armenia, Iran, and the Caucasus
• Jennifer Tour Chayes, mathematical physicist and theoretical computer scientist, and world renowned leading expert on the modeling & analysis of dynamically growing graphs. Founder, Technical Fellow, & Managing Director ofMicrosoft Research New England & Microsoft Research New York
• Houchang Chehabi, historian, expert in Iranian studies at theFrederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies,Boston University, where he is professor ofinternational relations andHistory
• Aaron Cohen-Gadol, internationally renownedneurosurgeon specializing in surgical treatment ofbrain tumors andaneurysms
• Hamid Dabashi, professor ofIranian studies andcomparative literature atColumbia University in New York City^[56]
• Jaleh Daie, scientist, former professor ofbiology and department chairs at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison andRutgers University
• Richard Danielpour, professor of composition,Manhattan School of Music
• Touraj Daryaee, Iranologist and historian at theUniversity of California, Irvine
• Armen Der Kiureghian, professor of civil engineering atUniversity of California, Berkeley, member of US National Academy of Engineering, current president of theAmerican University of Armenia
• Sibel Edmonds, former translator who worked as a contractor for theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); founder of theNational Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC)
• Azita Emami, Andrew and Peggy Cherng professor of electrical engineering and medical engineering atCaltech; Executive Officer of the Department of Electrical Engineering atCaltech
• Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey professor of electrical and systems engineering at theUniversity of Pennsylvania. He has made pioneering contributions to the fields ofmetamaterials,transformation andplasmonic optics,nano- andgraphene photonics,nano- and miniature antennas, and bio-inspired optical imaging, among many others
• Dara Entekhabi, Bacardi and Stockholm Water Foundations Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences atMIT. His main expertise is in the field ofhydrology.
• Haleh Esfandiari, Middle East scholar and former director of the Middle East Program at theWoodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She is an expert on contemporary Iranian intellectual currents and politics, as well as women's issues and democratic developments in theMiddle East. She was one of the fourIranian Americans falsely convicted and detained by the Iranian government in May 2007.
• Kamran Eshraghian, electrical engineer, notable for his work onVLSI andCMOSVLSI design
• Fariba Fahroo, mathematician, program manager at theAir Force Office of Scientific Research. Along withI. M. Ross, she has published papers inpseudospectral optimal control theory. TheRoss–Fahroo lemma and theRoss–Fahroo pseudospectral method are named after her
• Fereydoon Family, leading physicist in the field of nanotechnology and solid-state physics. He is the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Physics atEmory University
• Allah Verdi Mirza Farman Farmaian, professor and head of Biology department atRutgers University
• Sattareh Farmanfarmaian, founder and director of the Tehran School of Social Work. Co-founder of the Family Planning Association of Iran, and former vice-president of theInternational Planned Parenthood Federation
• Alimorad Farshchian, medical doctor, medical author, and founder and director of The Center of Regenerative Medicine inMiami, Florida
• Nariman Farvardin, president ofStevens Institute of Technology, and formerprovost ofUniversity of Maryland
• Bobak Ferdowsi, systems engineer at NASA'sJet Propulsion Laboratory; served on theCassini–Huygens andMars Science LaboratoryCuriosity mission.
• Alexander L. George (born Alexander L. Givargis), behavioral scientist specialist in the psychological effects of nuclear crisis management, Graham H. Stuart professor emeritus of political science atStanford University
• Mohammadreza Ghadiri,chemist and professor ofchemistry atThe Scripps Research Institute. Awarded theFeynman Prize in Nanotechnology in 1998
• Roozbeh Ghaffari, inventor, bioelectronics entrepreneur, biomedical engineering research faculty atNorthwestern University^[57]
• Zoubin Ghahramani, professor of information engineering at theUniversity of Cambridge
• Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, professor of religion atReed College, and author ofA History of Islam in America andCompeting Visions of Islam in the United States.
• M. R. Ghanoonparvar, professor emeritus of Persian and comparative literature at the faculty ofMiddle Eastern studies at theUniversity of Texas, Austin
• Morteza Gharib, Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Bio-Inspired Engineering atCaltech.
• Jamshid Gharajedaghi, organizational theorist, management consultant, & adjunct professor of Systems thinking atVillanova University. B
• John Ghazvinian, author, historian and former journalist. Associate Director of the Middle East Center at theUniversity of Pennsylvania.
• Doreen Granpeesheh, clinical psychologist, and producer of the documentaryRecovered: Journeys Through the Autism Spectrum and Back.
• Vartan Gregorian, president of TheCarnegie Corporation of New York^[58] and formerpresident ofBrown University
• Mohammad Hajiaghayi, computer scientist known for his work inalgorithms,game theory,network design, andbig data. Jack and Rita G. Minker professor at theUniversity of Maryland Dept. of Computer Science.
• Ali Hajimiri, inventor, technologist, and Thomas G. Myers Professor of Electrical Engineering atCaltech. Fellow of theNational Academy of Inventors (NAI)
• Babak Hassibi, electrical engineer, the inaugural Mose and Lillian S. Bohn Professor ofElectrical Engineering. Specialist in communications, signal processing and control.
• Payam Heydari, professor of electrical engineering and computer science,University of California, Irvine^[59]
• Shireen Hunter, research professor at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding atGeorgetown University.
• Ali Jadbabaie, systems theorist, network scientist, and the JR East Professor of Engineering atMassachusetts Institute of Technology
• Ali Jafari, professor of computer and information technology atPurdue University, director of the CyberLab atIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
• Hamid Jafarkhani, leading communication theorist and chancellor's professor of electrical engineering and computer science at theUniversity of California, Irvine^[60]
• Ramin Jahanbegloo, philosopher atUniversity of Toronto
• Farnam Jahanian, computer scientist and the 10th president ofCarnegie Mellon University
• Ali Javan, physicist, inventor ofgas laser; Professor Emeritus of Physics atMIT
• Hassan Jawahery, physicist, former spokesman of theBaBar Collaboration, and professor ofphysics at theUniversity of Maryland
• Majd Kamalmaz, psychotherapist who has been illegally detained in Syria since 2017
• Sepandar Kamvar, computer scientist,Stanford University
• Mehran Kardar, physicist and professor of physics atMIT,^[61] and co-faculty at theNew England Complex Systems Institute
• Morvarid Karimi, neurologist and medical researcher, specialist in neuroimaging of thepathophysiology of movement disorders. She was an assistant professor ofNeurology in theMovement Disorders Section atWashington University School of Medicine inSt. Louis, Missouri
• Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, Iranist, scholar of modern Persian literature, and professor and founding director of the Roshan Center for Persian Studies at theUniversity of Maryland^[62]
• Elham Kazemi,mathematics educator andeducational psychologist; Geda and Phil Condit Professor in Math and Science Education in the College of Education of theUniversity of Washington
• Firuz Kazemzadeh, historian of Russian and Iranian history, and professor emeritus of history atYale University.
• Homayoon Kazerooni, roboticist and professor ofmechanical engineering at theUniversity of California, Berkeley;^[63] director of theBerkeley Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory
• Fatemeh Keshavarz, scholar ofRumi andFarsi language & poetry, and poet in Persian and English; Director & Chair of Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at theUniversity of Maryland. Previously, was a professor ofPersian Language andComparative Literature atWashington University in St. Louis
• Ali Khademhosseini, Levi Knight Endowed Professor at theUniversity of California-Los Angeles. Holds a professorship in bioengineering, radiology, chemical, and biomolecular engineering.
• Laleh Khalili, professor of Middle Eastern Politics at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies at theUniversity of London. She also writes regularly forIranian.com
• Samira Kiani, health systems engineer atArizona State University. Her work combinesCRISPR technology with synthetic biology. She is a 2019AAAS Leshner Fellow.
• Farinaz Koushanfar, professor and Henry Booker Faculty Scholar of Electrical and Computer Engineering at theUniversity of California, San Diego
• Habib Levy, historian, specialist in thehistory of Jews in Iran; author ofComprehensive History of the Jews of Iran: The Outset of the Diaspora.
• Mohammad Jafar Mahjoub, Iranian scholar ofPersian literature, essayist, translator, and professor. Moved to the US in 1991 and taught at theUniversity of California, Berkeley
• Hoooman Majd, journalist, author, and commentator
• G. A. Mansoori, professor of chemical engineering atUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
• Alireza Mashaghi, biophysicist and medical scientist atLeiden University andHarvard University
• Bahram Mashhoon,general relativity physicist and professor ofphysics at theUniversity of Missouri. Through his research works, he has given important contributions togeneral relativity, particularly to thegravitomagnetic clock effect. He is also active in the field of non-localgravity
• Viken Babikian, professor atBoston University School of Medicine
• Peter Balakian, professor of humanities atColgate University
• Paul Boghossian, professor of philosophy atNew York University
• Peter Boghossian, professor of philosophy atPortland State University
• Aram Chobanian, dean of Boston University School of Medicine
• Harry Daghlian, academic scientist
• Richard Dekmejian, professor atUniversity of Southern California
• James Der Derian,Watson Institute professor of International Studies and Political Science atBrown University
• Edward Goljan, professor of pathology atOklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
• Hrach Gregorian, writer and teacher on international conflict management and post-conflict peace building
• Vartan Gregorian, former president ofBrown University and current president of theCarnegie Corporation
• Marjorie Housepian Dobkin (1922–2013), professor emerita of English at Barnard College.
• Richard G. Hovannisian, professor of Armenian History atUCLA
• Raffi Indjejikian, professor of accounting atUniversity of Michigan
• Joseph Albert Kechichian, author
• Mark Krikorian, executive director ofCenter for Immigration Studies
• Robert Mehrabian, president ofCarnegie Mellon
• Gevork Minaskanian, professor of organic chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University
• Josh Pahigian, professor of global humanities at theUniversity of New England
• George Piranian, professor of mathematics at theUniversity of Michigan
• Barbara Sahakian, professor of Clinical Neuropsychology atUniversity of Cambridge
• Mark Saroyan, professor of Soviet studies atHarvard andUC Berkeley
• Rashid Massumi,cardiologist and clinical professor, best known for his pioneering research in the field ofelectrophysiology. He was also known for bringing modern cardiology to Iran, and for being the cardiologist to the lastShah of Iran and, until 1980,Ayatollah Khomeini
• Noah McKay (born Nasser Talebzadeh Ordoubadi), physician and author ofWellness at Warp Speed
• Robert Mehrabian, material scientist, former president ofCarnegie Mellon University, and chair, president, and CEO ofTeledyne Technologies
• Houra Merrikh, microbiologist and a full professor at Vanderbilt University
• Abbas Milani, director ofIranian studies program atStanford University; research fellow & co-director of the "Iran Democracy Project" at Stanford'sHoover Institution
• Farzaneh Milani, professor of Persian Literature & Women's Studies at theUniversity of Virginia, and the chair of the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages & Cultures.
• Mohsen Milani, foreign policy analyst, and professor of politics at theUniversity of South Florida
• Maryam Mirzakhani, Stanford University professor; first female winner of theFields Medal
• Jasmin Moghbeli,NASA astronaut candidate of the class of 2017
• Mehryar Mohri, professor ofcomputer science at theCourant Institute of Mathematical Sciences atNew York University. Specialist inmachine learning,automata theory and algorithms,speech recognition andnatural language processing
• Parviz Moin,fluid dynamicist, professor ofmechanical engineering atStanford University. 2011 inductee to theUnited States National Academy of Sciences
• Mohsen Mostafavi, architect and educator,dean and Alexander and Victoria Wiley Professor at theHarvard Graduate School of Design^[64]
• Farzad Mostashari,internal medicine physician, former national coordinator for health information technology atUnited States Department of Health and Human Services
• Hossein Khan Motamed, surgeon, founder of the Motamed Hospital inTehran, Iran, and personal physician ofMohammad Reza Shah.
• Negar Mottahedeh, cultural critic and film theorist
• Roy Mottahedeh, Gurney Professor of History, Emeritus atHarvard University, specialist in pre-modern social and intellectual history of the Islamic Middle East. Former director of Harvard's Center for Middle Eastern Studies (1987–1990), and inaugural director of Harvard's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program (2005–2011)
• Hamid Mowlana, professor emeritus of international relations and founding director of the Division of International Communication at theSchool of International Service atAmerican University.^[65] In 2003, he was honored as a"Chehrehaye Mandegar" (Eternal One) by Iranian universities and academies.
• Eden Naby, Iranian-Assyrian culturalhistorian ofCentral Asia and theMiddle East, who is notable for her publications, research, and preservation work onAssyrian culture and history
• Firouz Naderi, formerNASA director ofMars project.^[66] Has also served in other various technical and executive positions at NASA'sJet Propulsion Laboratory.
• Hamid Naficy, scholar of cultural studies ofdiaspora, exile, & postcolonial cinemas and media, and ofIranian &Middle Eastern cinemas. Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor in Communication atNorthwestern University .
• Paul M. Naghdi, professor ofmechanical engineering at theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Specialist incontinuum mechanics
• Majid M. Naini (مجید ناینی),Rumi scholar, computer scientist, former professor atUniversity of Pennsylvania, writer on poetry, science, technology, and mysticism^[67]
• Kayvan Najarian, associate professor of computer science,Virginia Commonwealth University
• Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic studies atGeorge Washington University; prominent Islamic philosopher
• Vali Nasr, author and scholar on the Middle East andIslamic world; Served as Dean of theJohns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) inWashington D.C.
• Angella Nazarian (née Angella Maddahi), former professor of psychology atMount St. Mary's University,California State University, Long Beach & theLos Angeles Valley College. Co-founder of Looking Beyond
• Camran Nezhat,laparoscopic surgeon and director of Stanford Endoscopy Center for Training & Technology,Stanford University
• Kathy Niakan, human developmental and stem cell biologist. In 2016, she became the first scientist in the world to gain regulatory approval to edit the genomes of human embryos for research.
• Reza Olfati-Saber,roboticist andassistant professor of engineering atDartmouth College
• Kaveh Pahlavan, professor of computer and electrical engineering, professor of computer science, and director of the Center for Wireless Information Network Studies (CWINS) at theWorcester Polytechnic Institute
• Firouz Partovi, physicist; founder and former chairman of the Faculty of Physics at theSharif University of Technology. He has also taught atMIT andHarvard University.
• Massoud Pedram, computer engineer known for his research ingreen computing,power optimization (EDA),low power electronics and design, andelectronic design automation.
• Gholam A. Peyman,ophthalmologist, retina surgeon, and inventor ofLASIK eye surgery
• Nader Pourmand, professor of biomolecular engineering at theBaskin School of Engineering
• Ali R. Rabi, scholar at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management atUniversity of Maryland, College Park; founding chair of the Middle Eastern Citizens Assembly; Initiated the International University of Iran in 2001.
• Samuel Rahbar, biomedical scientist, discovered the linkage betweenHbA1C anddiabetes
• Hazhir Rahmandad, engineer and expert in dynamic modeling and system dynamics. Associate Professor in the System Dynamics group at theMIT Sloan School of Management.
• Yahya Rahmat-Samii, professor and the Northrop Grumman Chair in Electromagnetics at Electrical Engineering Department atUCLA
• Behzad Razavi, professor ofelectrical engineering and director of the Communications Circuit Laboratory at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles.y
• Manijeh Razeghi, Walter P. Murphy professor and director of the Center for Quantum Devices atNorthwestern University, pioneer insemiconductors andoptoelectronic devices.
• Zabihollah Rezaee, accountant, Thompson-Hill Chair of Excellence and professor of accounting at theUniversity of Memphis
• Sakineh (Simin) M. Redjali, psychologist and author. She was the first female professor at theNational University of Iran
• Darius Rejali, professor ofpolitical science atReed College and scholar specialized in the study oftorture. He has served on the board of theHuman Rights Review since 2000.
• Daron Acemoglu, economist atMassachusetts Institute of Technology^[68]
• Faruk Gül, professor of economics, Princeton University^[69]
• Reza Hamzaee, economist and BOG-Distinguished Professor ofEconomics atMissouri Western State University. Specialist inbanking andmanagerial economics
• Esfandiar Maasoumi,econometrician andeconomist. He is a distinguished professor atEmory University and a fellow of theRoyal Statistical Society
• Abbas Mirakhor, economist; former executive director and dean of board of theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF); Distinguished Scholar and chair in Islamic Finance at Malaysia'sINCEIF (International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance)
• Nouriel Roubini, economist; professor of economics at theStern School of Business,New York University
• Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, professor of economics atVirginia Tech, and visiting fellow at theMiddle East Youth Initiative at the Wolfensohn Center for Development at theBrookings Institution. His expertise is on demographic & energy economics and the economics of Iran & the larger Middle East
• Pardis Sabeti, computational geneticist, assistant professor, Center for Systems Biology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology,Harvard University
• Ahmad Sadri, sociologist and professor ofsociology andanthropology atLake Forest College, and the James P. Gorter Professor ofIslamic World Studies since 2007. Active in thereform movement in Iran.
• Mahmoud Sadri, professor ofsociology at the Federation ofNorth Texas Area Universities. His major interests are in religious, cultural & theoretical sociology, reform Islam and interfaith dialogue.
• Omid Safi, professor of Asian and Middle Eastern studies atDuke University, director of theDuke Islamic Studies Center, and columnist forOn Being. Scholar of Islamic mysticism (Sufism)
• Mehran Sahami, professor and the associate chair for education in the Computer Science department atStanford University. Robert and Ruth Halperin University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford.
• Muhammad Sahimi, professor of chemical engineering and materials science and current NIOC chair inpetroleum engineering atUSC
• David B. Samadi, vice chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at theIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai^[70]
• Eliz Sanasarian, professor ofpolitical science at theUniversity of Southern California. Specialist ethnic politics andfeminism, particularly regarding theMiddle East andIran
• Kamal Sarabandi, professor of engineering at theUniversity of Michigan
• Homayoun Seraji, senior research scientist atNASA'sJet Propulsion Laboratory andCaltech, former professor atSharif University of Technology. Works in the field ofrobotics and space exploration.^[71]
• Cyrus Shahabi, chair of the Computer Science Department,University of Southern California
• Mohammad Shahidehpour, Carl Bodine Distinguished Professor and chairman in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department atIllinois Institute of Technology
• Ghavam Shahidi, electrical engineer and IBM Fellow, Director of Silicon Technology at IBM's Watson's Laboratory
• Alireza Shapour Shahbazi, lecturer in Achaemenid archeology and Iranology atHarvard University, full professor of history inEastern Oregon University
• Manuchehr Shahrokhi, professor of Global Business-Finance atCalifornia State University;^[72] Founding Editor ofGlobal Finance Journal; executive director of Global Finance Association^[73]
• Fatemeh Shams, contemporary Persian poet, and assistant professor of Persian literature at theUniversity of Pennsylvania
• Shahrokh Shariat, urologist; professor & chairman of the Department of Urology of theMedical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; adjunct professor of urology and medical oncology at Weill Cornell Medical Center & at theUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
• Nasser Sharify, distinguished professor and dean emeritus of the School of Information and Library Science atPratt Institute
• Siamack A. Shirazi, scientist, professor and graduate coordinator of theMechanical Engineering department at theUniversity of Tulsa.
• Hamid Shirvani, architecture scholar, former president ofBriar Cliff University, former chancellor ofNorth Dakota University System.
• Rahmat Shoureshi, former president ofPortland State University; former president, provost and professor atNew York Institute of Technology
• Sam Sofer, scientist who specializes in biological processes and bioreactor design.
• Saba Soomekh, professor of religious studies, women's studies, and Middle Eastern history at UCLA andLoyola Marymount University. Author of books and articles on contemporary and historicalPersian Jewish culture
• Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh, university lecturer atSciences Po, researcher, andUnited Nations consultant inpeacekeeping,conflict resolution,counter-terrorism andradicalization. Best known for her work in "Human Security"
• Kian Tajbakhsh, social scientist, urban planner, and professor ofurban planning atColumbia University. One of the fourIranian-Americans falsely convicted and detained by theIranian government in May 2007
• Ray Takeyh, Middle East scholar and senior fellow at theCouncil on Foreign Relations
• Kamran Talattof, Persian literature and Iranian culture; director of Persian ProgramUniversity of Arizona
• Vahid Tarokh, professor of electrical and computer engineering, Bass Connections Professor, a professor of mathematics (secondary), and computer science (secondary) atDuke University
• Nader Tehrani, designer, Dean of the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture atCooper Union, and former professor ofarchitecture and department chair at theMIT School of Architecture and Planning.
• Ehsan Yarshater, founder and editor in chief ofEncyclopaedia Iranica, first full-time professor at a US university since World War II; Hagop Kevorkian Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies; director of the Center for Iranian Studies,Columbia University;^[74]
• Seema Yasmin, director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative atStanford University
• Mohammad Yeganeh, economist, former governor of theCentral Bank of Iran (1973–1975), professor of economics atColumbia University (1980–1985)
• Houman Younessi, researcher and educator ininformatics,computer science, andmolecular biology. Former research professor at theUniversity of Connecticut;
• Mark Zandi, chief economist ofMoody's Analytics
• John Shahidi, software developer and manager, brother of Sam
• Sam Shahidi, software developer and manager, brother of John
• Arif Dirlik
• Taner Akçam,University of Minnesota professor, historian specializing in theArmenian genocide^[75]
• Ciğdem Balım
• Asım Orhan Barut,University of Colorado-Boulder physicist^[76]
• Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel, associate professor of the practice in statistics atDuke University
• Feza Gürsey, mathematician and physicist
• M. Şükrü Hanioğlu, professor of Near Eastern studies,Princeton University
• Alp Ikizler, nephrologist, holder of the Catherine McLaughlin Hakim Chair in Medicine atVanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Merve Kavakçı,George Washington Universityprofessor and formerFazilet PartyParliamentarian exiled fromTurkey for violating thePublic Head Scarf Ban
• Hasan Özbekhan
• Edward Said, Palestinian-Lebanese American literary theorist and former professor at Columbia University
• Ahmed Tewfik, Egyptian American electrical engineer, Professor and college administrator
• Mehmet Toner, cryobiologist, professor of surgery at theHarvard Medical School, and professor of biomedical engineering at theHarvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology^[77]
• Turgay Uzer,Georgia Institute of Technology physicist^[78]
• Cumrun Vafa,string theorist and Donner Professor of Science atHarvard University. Recipient of the 2008Dirac Medal and the 2016Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
• Saba Valadkhan, biomedical scientist, assistant professor andRNA researcher atCase Western Reserve University, recipient of Young Scientist Award in 2005 for the mechanism ofspliceosomes
• Roxanne Varzi, associate professor ofanthropology andfilm andmedia studies at theUniversity of California, Irvine, documentary filmmaker, and writer
• Vamık Volkan,^[79]Princeton University professor emeritus of psychiatry
• Omar M. Yaghi, Jordanian Americanreticular chemistry pioneer; winner of the 2018Wolf Prize in Chemistry
• Nur Yalman,^[80] octolingualHarvard University professor of social anthropology and Middle Eastern studies
• Osman Yaşar, professor and chair of the computational science department at State University of New York College at Brockport^[81]
• K. Aslihan Yener,^[82]University of Chicago archaeologist who uncovered a new source ofBronze AgeAnatolian tin mines
• Edip Yüksel, Islamic philosopher and intellectual, cfigures in the modern Islamic reform andQuranism movements
• Lotfi A. Zadeh, mathematician, computer scientist, and professor emeritus of computer science at theUniversity of California, Berkeley; father offuzzy logic andfuzzy sets
• Norm Zada, former adjunct mathematics professor, and founder ofPerfect 10; son ofLotfi A. Zadeh
• Reza Zadeh, computer scientist atStanford University
• Iraj Zandi, emeritus professor of systems,University of Pennsylvania
• Ahmed Zewail, Egyptian American scientist, known as the "father offemtochemistry", winner of the 1999Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Huda Zoghbi, Lebanese American physician and medical researcher who discovered the genetic cause of theRett syndrome

• Melih Abdulhayoğlu, founder, CEO, and president ofComodo Group^[83]
• Mohamed Atalla, engineer, inventor ofMOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductorfield-effect transistor), most frequently manufactured device in history. Pioneer insiliconsemiconductors andsecurity systems, founder ofAtalla Corporation^[84]
• Sam Gores, founder of talent agency Paradigm Agency; on theForbes list of billionaires^[85] (LebanesePalestinian)
• Najeeb Halaby, former head ofFederal Aviation Administration and CEO ofPan-American Airlines, and father of Queen Noor of Jordan (Lebanese-Syrian father)^[86]
• Mario Kassar, formerly headedCarolco Pictures^[87] (Lebanese)
• John J. Mack, CEO of investment bankMorgan Stanley (Lebanese parents)^[88]
• Joseph Lubin (entrepreneur), Canadian-American founder ofblockchain software technology companyConsenSys, co-founder ofEthereum^[89]
• Bob Miner, co-founder ofOracle Corporation and the producer of itsrelational database management system^[90]
• Sina Tamaddon, senior vice president ofapplications forApple Computer^[91]

• Khalil Gibran, writer, poet, and member of theNew York Pen League; the third-best-selling poet of all time (Lebanese)
• William Peter Blatty, American writer best known for his 1971 horror novelThe Exorcist (Lebanese)
• Laila Lalami,Pulitzer Prize-nominated novelist, journalist, essayist, and professor (Moroccan)
• Mikhail Naimy, Nobel Prize-nominated author; member of theNew York Pen League; well-known works includeThe Book of Mirdad (Lebanese)
• Edward Said, literary theorist, thinker, and the founder of the academic field ofpostcolonial studies (Palestinian)
• Ameen Rihani, "father ofArab American literature", member of theNew York Pen League and author ofThe Book of Khalid, the first Arab American novel in English; also an ambassador
• Mona Simpson, author ofAnywhere but Here (Syrian father)
• Stephen Adly Guirgis,Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Egyptian father)
• Elmaz Abinader, poet, playwright, memoirist, writer (Lebanese)
• Diana Abu-Jaber, novelist and professor, author ofArabian Jazz andCrescent (Jordanian)
• Elia Abu Madi, poet, publisher and member of theNew York Pen League (Lebanese)
• Etel Adnan, poet, essayist, and visual artist (Syrian father)
• Catherine Filloux, French-Algerian-American playwright
• Suheir Hammad, poet, playwright, artist,Tony Award winner, 2003 (Russel Simmons PresentsDef Poetry Jam on Broadway)
• Samuel John Hazo, State Poet of Pennsylvania
• Lawrence Joseph, poet
• Lisa Suhair Majaj, poet and literary scholar
• Jack Marshall, poet and author (Iraqi father/Syrian mother)
• Khaled Mattawa, poet, recipient of anAcademy of American Poets award
• Claire Messud, author, Algerian
• Naomi Shihab Nye, poet
• Abraham Rihbany, writer on politics and religion
• Steven Salaita, expert on comparative literature and post-colonialism, writer, activist (Palestinian/Jordanian)
• Colet Abedi, young adult novelist and television producer
• Salar Abdoh, novelist and essayist. Current director of the graduate program increative writing at theCity College of New York.
• Kaveh Akbar, poet and scholar
• Laleh Bakhtiar, writer and scholar
• Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, writer of books on health and wellness.
• Najmieh Batmanglij, acclaimed chef and cookbook author
• William D. S. Daniel, Iranian-Assyrian author, poet, and musician
• Parvin Darabi, writer and women's rights activist. Best known for bookRage Against the Veil
• Jasmin Darznik, author ofThe Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life andSong of a Captive Bird
• Firoozeh Dumas, author ofFunny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America
• FM-2030, author, teacher,transhumanist philosopher, futurist; author ofAre You a Transhuman?: Monitoring and Stimulating Your Personal Rate of Growth in a Rapidly Changing World (1989)
• Sara Farizan, writer of young adult literature. Best known for novel,If You Could Be Mine (2013)
• Suleika Jaouad, is a writer, advocate, and motivational speaker. She is the author of the "Life, Interrupted" column inThe New York Times
• Ezzat Goushegir, fiction writer & playwright
• Roya Hakakian, writer, poet, and journalist
• Hakob Karapents, novelist and short story writer whose works were written in bothArmenian andEnglish. Settled in the US in 1947.
• Laleh Khadivi, novelist and documentary filmmaker
• Porochista Khakpour, novelist, essayist, and writer
• Tahereh Mafi, novelist ofyoung adult fiction
• Mahtob Mahmoody, author of autobiographical memoirMy Name is Mahtob and daughter ofBetty Mahmoody, the author ofNot Without My Daughter
• Faranak Margolese, writer, best known as author ofOff the Derech
• Marsha Mehran, novelist, author of international bestsellersPomegranate Soup (2005) andRosewater and Soda Bread (2008)
• Shokooh Mirzadegi, novelist and poet, who worked forFerdowsi magazine andKayhān daily in the late 1960s in Iran.
• Azadeh Moaveni, author ofLipstick Jihad and co-author ofIran Awakening withShirin Ebadi, and reporter forTime magazine on Iran and the Middle East
• Melody Moezzi, writer, attorney, and author ofHaldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life andWar on Error: Real Stories of American Muslims.
• Ottessa Moshfegh, writer, author ofEileen
• Farnoosh Moshiri, novelist, playwright, andlibrettist. Professor ofcreative writing andliterature at theUniversity of Houston-Downtown
• Dora Levy Mossanen, author of historical fiction
• Azar Nafisi, writer, best known forReading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
• Gina Nahai, author ofCry of the Peacock,Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith, andCaspian Rain
• Steven Naifeh,Pulitzer Prize-winningbiographer ofJackson Pollock andVincent van Gogh, co-author of 18 other books withGregory White Smith, businessman, and artist
• Dina Nayeri, novelist, essayist, and short story writer. Author ofA Teaspoon of Earth and Sea andRefuge
• Abdi Nazemian, author and screenwriter. Best known forThe Walk-In Closet
• Ghazal Omid, nonfiction political writer, nonfiction children's book writer, speaker, NGO executive
• Shahrnoosh Parsipour, writer
• Susan Atefat Peckham, poet
• Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, memoirist, playwright, and fiction writer
• Dalia Sofer, writer, best known forThe Septembers of Shiraz
• Neda Soltani, writer ofMy Stolen Face and political exile
• Mahbod Seraji, writer, best known forRooftops of Tehran
• Mahmoud Seraji, a.k.a. "M.S. Shahed," poet best known for his trilogyMazamir Eshgh (مزامیر عشق). Father ofMahbod Seraji
• Solmaz Sharif, poet, known for her debut poetry collection,Look. Currently aJones Lecturer atStanford University
• Andrew David Urshan, evangelist and author. Known as the "Persian Evangelist", ks
• Sholeh Wolpe, poet, editor and literary translator
• Walter Abish, novelist, poet, and short story writer
• Herman Wouk, novelist and non-fiction writer
• Anzia Yezierska, novelist
• Ed Lacy (Ed Lacy), novelist

• Mark Esper, 27th Secretary of Defense (2019–2020) (Lebanese)
• Alex Azar, Secretary of Human Health and Service (2018–2021) (Lebanese)
• William Barr, Attorney General (2019–2021)
• Steven Mnuchin, 77th secretary of Treasury (2017–2021)
• James Abdnor, US Senator (R-South Dakota) (1981–1987)
• John Abizaid, retired general (Lebanese)
• James Abourezk, US Senator (D-South Dakota) (1973–1979) (Lebanese ancestry)^[92]
• Spencer Abraham,U.S. Secretary of Energy (2001–2005) and U.S. Senator (R-Mich.) Secretary of Energy under Bush (1995–2001) (Lebanese ancestry)
• Justin Amash, US Representative (R-Michigan) (2011–2021), Palestinian and Syrian descent
• Victor G. Atiyeh, Governor ofOregon (R) (1979–1987) (Syrian)
• John Baldacci, Governor ofMaine (D) (2003–2011) (Lebanese mother)
• Rosemary Barkett, US federal judge and the first womanSupreme Court Justice and Chief Justice for the state of Florida (Syrian)
• Charles Boustany,^[93] US Representative from Louisiana; cousin ofVictoria Reggie Kennedy^[94] (Lebanese)
• Farrah Chaichi, Oregon state representative^[95]
• Pat Danner, US Congresswoman (D-Mo.) (1993–2001)
• Brigitte Gabriel,pro-Israel activist and founder of theAmerican Congress For Truth (Lebanese)
• Philip Charles Habib,Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Special Envoy toRonald Reagan (Lebanese)
• Lisa Halaby (a.k.a. Queen Noor),Queen-consort ofJordan and wife ofKing Hussein of Jordan (father is of Syrian descent)
• Darrell Issa, US Congressman (R-California) (2001–) (Lebanese father)
• Joe Jamail, Renown American trial lawyer and billionaire, also known as the "King of Torts" (Lebanese)
• James Jabara, colonel and Korean War flying ace (Lebanese)
• Chris John, US Congressman (D-Louisiana) (1997–2005) (Lebanese ancestry)
• George Joulwan, retired general, former NATO commander-in-chief (Lebanese)
• George Kasem, US Congressman (D-California) (1959–1961)^[96]
• Abraham Kazen, US Congressman (D-Texas) (1967–1985) (Lebanese ancestry)
• George Deukmejian, 35th governor of California, 27th attorney general of California, member of the California State Senate (1967–1979) and State Assembly (1963–1967)
• Jill Kelley, global advocate and American socialite^[97] (Lebanese)
• Victoria Reggie Kennedy, attorney and widow of late SenatorTed Kennedy (Lebanese)
• Johnny Khamis, Councilmember from San Jose (Lebanese)
• Ray LaHood, US Congressman (R-Illinois) (1995–2009),U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2009–2013) (Lebanese and Jordanian ancestry)
• Darin LaHood, US Congressman (R-Illinois) (born 2015), son of Ray Lahood
• George J. Mitchell, US Senator (D-Maine) (1980–1995) United States of America special envoy to the Middle East under the Obama administration, US Senator fromMaine, Senate Majority Leader (Lebanese mother)
• Ollie Mohamed, President pro tempore of the Mississippi State Senate (1992) (Lebanese ancestry)
• Ralph Nader, politician and consumer advocate, author, lecturer, and attorney, candidate for US Presidency
• Jimmy Naifeh,Speaker of theTennessee House of Representatives (D) (Lebanese ancestry)
• Mary Rose Oakar, US Congresswoman (D-Ohio) (1977–1993)
• Jeanine Pirro, former Westchester County District Attorney andNew York Republican attorney general candidate (Lebanese parents)
• Dina Powell, US Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy (2017–2018) (Egyptian)
• Nick Rahall, US Congressman (D-West Virginia) (1977–2015) (Lebanese ancestry)
• Selwa Roosevelt (Lebanese), formerChief of Protocol of the United States and wife of the lateArchibald Bulloch Roosevelt, Jr., grandson of PresidentTheodore Roosevelt
• Zainab Salbi, co-founder and president ofWomen for Women International (Iraqi)
• Donna Shalala,U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (1993–2001) (Lebanese parents)
• Chris Sununu, Governor ofNew Hampshire (R) (2017–), son of Governor John H. Sununu
• John E. Sununu, US Senator (R-New Hampshire) (2003–2009) (father is of Lebanese and Palestinian ancestry)
• John H. Sununu, Governor ofNew Hampshire (R) (1983–1989) andchief of staff toGeorge H. W. Bush (Lebanese and Palestinian ancestry)
• Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Moderator for the Town of Topsfield. Founder and Policy Director of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.
• James Zogby (Lebanese), founder and president of theArab American Institute
• Hady Amr, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs and Press and Public Diplomacy (2021-), founding director of Brookings Doha Center (Lebanese father)
• Parry Aftab, Internet privacy and security lawyer, considered one of the founders ofcyberlaw. Founder of the cybersafety organizations WiredSafety, StopCyberbullying and the consulting firm, WiredTrust
• Roozbeh Aliabadi, advisor and commentator on geopolitical risk and geoeconomics. Current partner at global affair practice at GGA inNew York City, former Senior Advisor to the Department of Strategic Initiatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Iran
• Mahnaz Afkhami, women's rights activist who served in the Cabinet of Iran from 1976 to 1978; executive director of the Washington-basedFoundation for Iranian Studies, and the founder and president of the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP)
• Goli Ameri, former Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Values and Diplomacy for theInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, former USAssistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, former US public delegate to theUnited Nations General Assembly, and former Republican candidate for theUnited States House of Representatives from the 1st district ofOregon.
• Cyrus Amir-Mokri, formerAssistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions at theU.S. Treasury Department
• Jamshid Amouzegar, economist and politician who served asPrime Minister of Iran (1977–1978). Immigrated to the US in 1978
• Hushang Ansary, former IranianMinister of Economic Affairs and Finance, former ambassador of Iran to the US (1967–1969) and chairman of National Finance Committee ofBush-Cheney 2004 campaign.
• Gholam Reza Azhari, military leader andPrime Minister ofIran (1978–1979). Immigrated to the US in 1979
• Pantea Beigi, human rights advocate, known for her media appearances commenting on the human rights conditions in Iran in the wake of the2009 Iranian presidential election protests. She has served as anAmeriCorps member for thePeaceJam foundation, notably working with Dr.Shirin Ebadi in her efforts to address social and economic injustices of the youth in Iran
• Michael Benjamin, 1996Republican candidate for the US House from the8th district of New York, and 2004 US Senate Republican Primary candidate fromNew York
• Makan Delrahim,United States Assistant Attorney General for theUnited States Department of Justice Antitrust Division under the Trump Administration
• Jimmy Delshad, former mayor ofBeverly Hills, California (2007–2008, 2010–2011), first Iranian-born mayor of an American city
• Eugene Dooman, counselor at theUnited StatesEmbassy inTokyo during the period of critical negotiations between the US andJapan beforeWorld War II
• Abdullah Entezam, Iranian diplomat, Iranian ambassador to France (1927) and to West Germany, secretary of the Iranian embassy in the United States. Father ofHume Horan
• Anna Eshoo, US Representative ofCalifornia's 18th congressional district
• Anna Eskamani, member of theFlorida House of Representatives
• Abbas Farzanegan, former governor of the state of Esfahan, communications minister and diplomat duringMohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign. Key figure in facilitation of the1953 Iranian coup d'état. Immigrated to the US in 1975
• Shireen Ghorbani, at-large member of theSalt Lake County Council, representing 1.1 million residents
• Rostam Giv, 3rd representative of Iranian Zoroastrians in Iranian parliament, senator of the Iranian Senate, and philanthropist to the Zoroastrian community in Iran, then United States, and the world. Immigrated to the US in 1978.
• Ferial Govashiri, served as thepersonal secretary toU.S. PresidentBarack Obama at theWhite House (2014–2017). Currently is the chief of staff to the chief content officer ofNetflix
• Hrach Gregorian, political consultant, educator, and writer. His work has taken him internationally as a consultant on internationalconflict management, and post-conflict peacebuilding
• Cyrus Habib, 16thLieutenant Governor of Washington, and president of theWashington State Senate. First and so far only Iranian American elected to state office
• Kamal Habibollahi, lastcommander of theImperian Iranian Navy until theIranian Revolution and the last CNO commander of thePahlavi dynasty. Also held several minister positions under themilitary government ofGholam Reza Azhari in 1978. Immigrated to the US after theIranian Revolution
• Shamsi Hekmat, women's rights activist who pioneered reforms in women's status in Iran. Founded the firstIranian Jewish women's organization (Sazman Banovan Yahud i Iran) in 1947. After her migration to the US, she established theIranian Jewish Women's Organization of Southern California.
• Shahram Homayoun, political dissident of the government of theIslamic Republic of Iran, and owner of "Channel One," aPersian satellite TV station based inLos Angeles that broadcasts into Iran daily
• Hume Horan, diplomat and former US ambassador toCameroon,Equatorial Guinea,Sudan,Saudi Arabia, and theIvory Coast. Son ofAbdullah Entezam
• Fereydoon Hoveyda, former Iranian ambassador to theUnited Nations (1971–1979). Since his exile to the U.S., senior fellow and member of the executive committee of theNational Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP)
• Shaban Jafari, Iranian political figure, practitioner ofPahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals. Key figure in the facilitation of the1953 Iranian coup d'état. Exiled to the United States soon after the 1979 revolution
• Anna Kaplan (née Anna Monahemi), first Iranian American elected to New York State Senate
• Zahra Karinshak, attorney and politician.
• Mehdi Khalaji, political analyst, writer, and scholar of Shia Islamic studies. Senior research fellow at theWashington Institute for Near East Policy, a D.C.-basedforeign policy think tank. He has frequently contributed to journalistic outlets such asBBC,The Guardian,The Washington Post, andThe New York Times
• Alan Khazei, social entrepreneur; founder and CEO of "Be The Change, Inc", dedicated to building coalitions amongnon-profit organizations and citizen . Co-founder and former CEO ofCity Year, anAmeriCorps national service program
• Bijan Kian, businessman, member of the board of directors of theExport–Import Bank of the United States, partner ofMichael Flynn in theFlynn Intel Group, and worked with thefirst Trump administration transition team in regards to theOffice of the Director of National Intelligence
• Paul Larudee, political activist and a major figure in the pro-Palestinian movement. He is involved in theInternational Solidarity Movement and the founder of theFree Gaza Movement and the Free Palestine Movement
• Ahmad Madani, formercommander of theImperial Iranian Navy (1979), governor of theKhuzestan province, and candidate of thefirst Iranian presidential election. After his exile to the United States in 1980, he was the chairman of theNational Front outside of Iran.
• Cyrus Mehri, attorney and partner at Mehri & Skalet. Best known for helping establish theNational Football League's (NFL)Rooney Rule
• Mariam Memarsadeghi, democracy and human rights advocate
• Ross Mirkarimi, former member ofSan Francisco City Council and formerSan FranciscoSheriff. Co-founder of theGreen Party of California
• Mohammad Hassan Mirza II, last Crown Prince ofIran from the rule of theQajar dynasty &heir apparent to theQajarSun Throne. Currently lives inDallas, Texas.
• Shayan Modarres, civil right activist known for his representation of the family ofTrayvon Martin, and a 2014Democratic primary candidate for theUS House from the10th district of Florida
• Esha Momeni, women's rights activist and a member of theOne Million Signatures campaign
• David Nahai, environmental attorney, political activist, former head of theLos Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Adrin Nazarian, Member of the California State Assembly from the 46th district. FirstIranian-American elected to theCalifornia State Legislature
• John J. Nimrod, minority rights activist andIllinois state senator of District 4 (1973–1983) of Iranian-Assyrian descent; notable for his promotion ofAssyrian causes and for the rights of other under-represented minority groups throughout the world, such asUyghurs andTibetans
• Alex Nowrasteh,immigration policy analyst currently at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity at theCato Institute, and previously at theCompetitive Enterprise Institute. He is a national expert on immigration policy
• Vali Nasr, Shia scholar and poetical scientist. Senior Fellow inforeign policy at theBrookings Institution
• Prince Abdul Reza Pahlavi, son ofReza Shah and half-brother ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi. Immigrated to the US with other relatives immediately prior to theIslamic revolution of 1979
• Prince Ali-Reza Pahlavi, younger son ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi andFarah Pahlavi. He was second in theorder of succession to the Iranian throne prior to theIranian revolution.
• Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, twin sister ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi. Considered to be the "power behind her brother" and instrumental in the1953 coup d'état which led him taking the throne. Served her brother as a Palace advisor and a strong advocate forwomen's rights.
• Farah Pahlavi, widow ofMohammad Reza Shah and formershahbanu (empress) of Iran
• Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi, eldest daughter ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi andFarah Pahlavi. Currently resides inNew York City
• Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, lastheir apparent of theImperial State of Iran and current head of the exiledHouse of Pahlavi. Oldest son ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi andFarah Pahlavi. Founder and former leader of theNational Council of Iran. Currently resides inBethesda, Maryland.
• Shams Pahlavi, elder sister ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi. Former president of theRed Lion and Sun Society. Exiled to theUnited States after the1979 revolution
• Yasmine Pahlavi, lawyer and wife ofReza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran. Co-founder and former director of the Foundation for the Children of Iran. Currently resides inBethesda, Maryland
• Mehrdad Pahlbod, Iranian royal and first culture minister of Iran (1964–1968). He was the second husband of PrincessShams Pahlavi. Immigrated to the US and resided inLos Angeles after the1979 revolution
• Trita Parsi, founder and current president of theNational Iranian American Council. He regularly writes articles and appears on TV to comment on foreign policy
• Noraladin Pirmoazzen, Iranian politician who served as a member of the6th and7thIslamic Consultative Assembly from the electorate ofArdabil,Nir,Namin andSareyn. Immigrated to the US in 2008.
• Azita Raji, former US ambassador to Sweden appointed byBarack Obama
• Farajollah Rasaei,Commander of the Imperial Iranian Navy (1961–1972), the most Senior Naval Commander of theIranian Navy. Exiled to the US after the1979 revolution
• Parviz Sabeti, formerSAVAK deputy under the regime ofMohammad Reza Shah. One of the most powerful men in the last two decades of thePahlavi regime. Exiled to the US in 1979.
• Ahsha Safaí, elected member of theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors representing Supervisorial District 11
• David Safavian, disgraced former chief of staff of the United StatesGeneral Services Administration
• Karim Sanjabi, Iranian politician of theNational Front of Iran. Settled in the US after the1979 revolution
• Hajj Sayyah, first Iranian to obtain an American citizenship, world traveler, and political activist. Played a major role in thePersian Constitutional Revolution of 1906.
• Mohsen Sazegara, pro-democracy political activist and journalist. He held several offices in the government ofMir-Hossein Mousavi. His reformist policies clashed with theSupreme Leader Ali Khamenei, eventually resulting in his arrest and later exile. He currently resides in the US.
• Farhad Sepahbody, former ambassador of Iran to Morocco (1976–1979). Exiled to the US after theIranian Revolution
• Soraya Serajeddini, Iranian-Kurdish human rights activist. Former executive vice president of theKurdish National Congress of North America.
• Mehdi Shahbazi, political activist and businessman. He was known for protest against majoroil companies at the grounds of hisShell Oil gas station franchises
• Azadeh N. Shahshahani, human rights attorney
• Ali Shakeri, activist and businessman. Serves on the Community Advisory Board of the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding at theUniversity of California, Irvine, and is the founder and active member ofEttehade Jomhourikhahan-e Iran (EJI), which advocates for ademocratic andsecular republic in Iran. He was one of the four Iranian-Americans detained by theIranian government in May 2007.
• Jafar Sharif-Emami, formerprime minister of Iran (1960–1961, 1978–1979), former president of theIranian Senate (1964–1978), and formerMinister of Foreign Affairs of Iran (1960). Exiled to the US in the wake of theIranian Revolution
• Faryar Shirzad, former Deputy National Security Advisor andWhite House Deputy Assistant for International Economic Affairs to PresidentGeorge W. Bush
• Yasmine Taeb, human rights attorney andDemocratic National Committee official. She is a senior policy counsel at theCenter for Victims of Torture
• Ramin Toloui, Assistant Secretary for International Finance,United States Department of the Treasury
• Bob Yousefian, former mayor ofGlendale, California
• Steven Derounian, Republican,New York (1953–1965)^[98]
• Adam Benjamin, Jr., Democrat,Indiana (1977–1982)
• Chip Pashayan, Republican,California (1979–1991)^[98]
• Anna Eshoo, Democrat, California (1993–2013)^[98]
• John E. Sweeney, Republican, New York (1999–2007)^[98]
• Jackie Speier, Democrat, California (2008–)^[98]
• Anthony Brindisi, Democrat, New York (2019–2021)^[99]
• Robert Mardian, United States Assistant Attorney General (1970–1972)
• Julia Tashjian,Secretary of the State of Connecticut (1983–1991)^[100][98]
• Dickran Tevrizian,United States District Court for the Central District of California (1985–2005)
• Marvin R. Baxter, associate justice of theSupreme Court of California (1991–2015)
• Brad Avakian, commissioner of theOregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (2008–2019)
• Rachel Kaprielian, Massachusetts Registrar of Motor Vehicles (2008–2014); Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Worforce Development
• Joe Simitian, member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors (2013-)

• Greater Middle East
• Anti-Middle Eastern sentiment
• North Africans in the United States
• Central Asians in the United States

• Maghbouleh, Neda (2017).The Limits of Whiteness: Iranian Americans and the Everyday Politics of Race. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

• West Asian diaspora in the United States
• Asian diaspora in the United States

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