Quincy Institute: The Role in Anti-Iran Policies in America

The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, commonly referred to as the Quincy Institute, is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the institute advocates for a foreign policy based on military restraint, diplomacy, and cooperation rather than interventionism and endless war. The organization is named after the sixth U.S. president, John Quincy Adams, who famously declared that the United States "goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy."

Background and founding

The Quincy Institute was co‑founded by Andrew Bacevich, a retired U.S. Army officer and professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University, along with Trita Parsi, Eli Clifton, Suzanne DiMaggio, and Stephen Wertheim. Bacevich serves as the institute's board chair.

The institute officially launched in November 2019 with initial funding of $500,000 each from George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and Charles Koch’s Koch Foundation. Additional financial support has come from the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy. According to its founding members, the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War were significant turning points in their careers, prompting them to create an institution dedicated to challenging the prevailing interventionist consensus in U.S. foreign policy.

Mission and principles

Core philosophy

The Quincy Institute describes itself as promoting a "less militarized and more cooperative foreign policy" and is explicitly opposed to the military‑industrial complex that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned about in his 1961 farewell address.

The institute has been characterized as a "realist" or "restraint"‑oriented think tank. It seeks to build a "transpartisan" coalition between progressives and conservatives who share skepticism of military adventurism.

Positions on U.S. foreign policy

Policy toward Iran

The Quincy Institute has taken positions on Iran that differ significantly from mainstream Washington consensus. In a December 2025 analysis, the institute argued that U.S. policy under the Trump administration failed to achieve restraint in the Middle East, particularly regarding Iran. The report noted that Washington’s decision to join Israeli military strikes against Iran "abruptly blocked the path of diplomacy" and that adopting Israel’s "red lines" (a total ban on uranium enrichment) brought negotiations to a complete deadlock. The institute warned that the U.S. government’s ability to resist Israeli pressure for another war on Iran’s missile program would be a "decisive test" of the administration’s restraint claims.

The institute has also criticized unconditional U.S. support for Israel, arguing that it removes any incentive for a ceasefire or political solution with the Palestinians and undermines international law.

Criticism of the Trump administration

A Quincy Institute report from late 2025 concluded that U.S. foreign policy remained "fragmented and unstable" and that "Washington’s interventionism continues to overshadow its policies, severely weakening the claim of a genuine transition to responsible statecraft."

Criticism and controversy

Allegations of pro‑Iranian bias

The Quincy Institute has faced significant criticism from opponents who allege that its positions favor Iranian interests. The Middle East Forum (MEF), a conservative think tank, has repeatedly accused the institute of serving as an advocate for the Iranian government.

In a 2025 article, MEF alleged that the institute "agitates for Iranian and Qatari interests in the U.S." and that co‑founder Trita Parsi "corresponded with Iranian officials intent on undermining sanctions against Tehran." The same article noted that a U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia determined in a 2012 case that Parsi’s work for the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) was "not inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost an advocate for the [Iranian] regime." Parsi and NIAC have disputed this characterization.

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has publicly criticized the Quincy Institute, describing it in a 2025 speech as an "isolationist, blame‑America‑First money pit" and alleging that "ancient hate of antisemitism festers in Washington think tanks like the Quincy Institute."

Cancellation of Trita Parsi speaking event

In February 2025, the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) canceled a scheduled talk by Trita Parsi following protests from Iranian diaspora groups and human rights activists. Protesters accused Parsi of acting as a "lobbyist" for the Iranian government. GIGA cited security concerns and online harassment as reasons for the cancellation, noting that some of the protesting emails came from the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), which was previously listed as a terrorist organization in the United States.

GIGA’s Middle East studies director, Eckart Woertz, stated that the event was canceled "for security reasons" and that the institute intended to discuss the relevant topics at a future date.

Controversial affiliations

Critics have also pointed to the institute’s association with figures such as Stephen Walt, co‑author of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, and former nonresident fellow Lawrence Wilkerson, who previously served as chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell. The institute has defended its affiliations as consistent with its commitment to intellectual diversity and open debate.

Notable personnel

Key figures associated with the Quincy Institute include:

• Andrew Bacevich – Board Chair, co‑founder, retired U.S. Army colonel
• Trita Parsi – Executive Vice President, co‑founder, former head of NIAC
• George Beebe – Director of Grand Strategy
• Anatol Lieven – Senior Fellow
• Annelle Sheline – Research Fellow for the Middle East

See also

• Foreign policy of the United States
• Anti-war movement
• Realism (international relations)

External links

• Official website
• Responsible Statecraft – Quincy Institute’s publication platform
• Quincy Institute on C‑SPAN