ICC AGM 2026 nominations
Ms. Arghavan Emami: Ms. Arghavan Emami has provided all documents requested in the nomination announcement. She is currently an active member and has been a member in good standing for more than a year.
Ms. Saba Safdar: Ms. Saba Safdar has provided all documents requested in the nomination announcement. She is an active ICC member, upon reviewing her membership history, it was realized that she does not meet the nomination criterion of being a regular member with “good standing for at least one year prior to the election” as outlined in the by-laws. It will be asked from the members to allow her to join ICC board in the ballots of AGM 2026.
Mr. Hossein Rafiei Renani: Mr.Hossein Rafiei Renani has provided all documents requested in the nomination announcement and has been a member in good standing for the past year.
Mr. Mehdi Shams: Mr. Mehdi Shams has provided all documents requested in the nomination announcement but he is not a member in good standing therefore he cannot run for the board of directors.
According to the ICC by-laws, candidates, who do not meet the criterion of being an active member with good standing for at least one year prior to the election, can request for an exemption from the members. To facilitate such a request, members will be asked if they are in favour of granting such an exemption in this election on the election ballot. If approved by the members, candidates who are an active ICC member but do not meet the 1-year requirement, i.e. Ms. Saba Safdar , will be exempted, and if elected, can serve as an ICC director.
Having said the above, the following four candidates will run for the upcoming ICC election to fill the two spots on the Board of Directors. (ordered alphabetically):
3- Ms. Saba Safdar
4- Mr. Hossein Rafiei Renani
As communicated previously with you, the next ICC annual general meeting (AGM) will be held on August 2 from 1 PM ET (10 AM PT) through a videoconferencing platform. Please note that only ICC members who have joined/renewed their membership by July 24, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET will be entitled to attend the upcoming AGM and vote in the election.
The ICC election committee
Introduction of AGM 2026 candidate Hossein Rafiei Renani
Dr. Hossein Rafiei Renani
Hossein is a consulting professional and human rights advocate, speaker, and writer based in Vancouver,
Canada. He acts in solidarity with Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, and the Global South against foreign military
aggressions, sanctions, coups, and interference. He has collaborated with the Iranian Canadian Congress
(ICC), Iranian charitable organizations, and cultural centres.
Hossein was born in Iran during the Western-backed Iraq’s eight-year invasion of Iran. He grew up in Iran
under Western sanctions and received free public education up to the Master’s level. He then moved to
Canada to advance his education. After completing his doctoral and post-doctoral research, he provides
professional consulting services in Canada.
In opposition to the Western-backed Israeli genocide in Palestine and wars of aggression against Iran,
Hossein has organized and participated in civil society campaigns such as demonstrations, public outreach,
and petitions like Parliamentary petition e-6662. He has collaborated with the ICC to push back against the
Canadian government’s unconscionable statements regarding the illegal US-Israeli wars on Iran in 2025 and
2026 which have so far led to the martyrdom of at least 4,532 Iranians, including over 168 children and
teachers of Minab’s elementary school.
Hossein’s objective is building common understanding and coalitions, mobilizing and synergizing the
power of individual Iranians in Canada to advance the interests of all Iranians. He believes that the Iranian
Canadian Congress is a useful platform for advancing these goals. If you share these goals, please support
and promote his nomination for election to the ICC Board of Directors.