Heres where it gets tricky: The Al-Khoei Center maintains associations with the Alavi Foundation, which offers financial and operational support to various Shia institutions across the U.S. Founded in 1973 as the Pahlavi Foundation under Iran's Shah, it underwent restructuring post-1979 Islamic Revolution and faces accusations of functioning under the Islamic Republic of Iran's influence.
The U.S. Department of Justice has consistently portrayed the Alavi Foundation as a front for the Iranian government.
Key milestones include:
- A 2009 forfeiture lawsuit targeting over $500 million in assets, including a Manhattan skyscraper at 650 Fifth Avenue, alleging services to Iran and money laundering via Bank Melli Iran, a bank sanctioned for aiding Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
- A 2013 federal court decision affirming Alavi's role as a front for Bank Melli and Iran, in breach of U.S. sanctions.
- A 2017 jury ruling that forfeited the skyscraper and other properties, with prosecutors claiming Iranian control since at least 1991.
- 2019 appeals that reversed some seizures, yet the DOJ's view of Alavi as an Iranian proxy endures in active litigation and sanctions efforts.
The foundation denies direct Iranian oversight, though its ex-president was convicted for document destruction amid probes. Importantly, the DOJ has clarified no wrongdoing by tenants or users of Alavi-supported sites like mosques.
The Imam's Prayer and Its Context
During the service, the imam reportedly incorporated a prayer calling on the Mahdi, a central Shia eschatological figure, to "kill the infidels by his sword" or "strike down non-believers." MEMRI's transcript and video breakdown frames this as a ritual plea for Muslim triumph over "Qawm al-Kafiroon" (non-Muslims or infidels), common in certain traditional Shia prayers.
Such invocations draw from hadiths and beliefs about the Mahdi ushering in justice, potentially involving confrontations with oppressors or non-believers. Critics view them as implying dominance over non-Muslims.
