US Confirms First Iranian-American Ambassador

The US Senate recently confirmed the appointment of the first Iranian-American US ambassador. Amb. Azita Raji was confirmed as  ambassador to Sweden in February. Raji was born in Tehran, then became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1988, at the age of 27. Raji will be welcomed by Sweden’s 63,828 Swedish-Iranians, one of the country’s most successful immigrant groups.

Over the last 25 years, the AIC has welcomed the promotion of the Iranian-American community and its participation in American politics. Azita Raji’s appointment as a US ambassador is a milestone for Iranian-Americans and a sign of progress for the community.

Raji moved to the US at the age of 17. She went on to earn a B.A. in architecture and French from Barnard College, Columbia University and then an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia Business School in 1991.  Initially a  JP Morgan banker, she decided to leave the financial sector in 2008 to focus on national politics. Since then, she has been a prominent supporter of US President Barack Obama and an inspiration for the Iranian-American community.