Iranians living in the United States gathered in front of the office of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) in Washington, D.C., on July 19.

A statement read out by protesters at the event described the NIAC as "the representative of the corrupt and brutal Islamic Republic regime."

According to the statement, the protest was aimed at informing U.S. policymakers that the "NIAC does not represent the Iranian community in the United States and that it does not reflect the real hopes of the people living in Iran."

The NIAC says on its website that it does not lobby on behalf of Iran. It is "a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the voice of Iranian Americans and promoting greater understanding between the American and Iranian people," according to the website.

During the presidency of Barak Obama, the NIAC supported U.S. foreign policy regarding Iran, but after Donald Trump took office, it became a staunch critic of the U.S. administration's policies about Iran.