Rob Sobhani

Sohrab Sobhani
Born	(1960-02-15) February 15, 1960 Kansas, United States
Occupation(s)	Writer, speaker, businessman, politician
Known for	Expertise in energy sectors, U.S. immigration legislation, Middle Eastern geopolitical issues; Chairman and CEO of Caspian Group; founder and CEO of Sparo Corporation; 2012 Maryland U.S. Senate independent candidate

Sohrab Sobhani (born February 15, 1960) is an Iranian-American writer and speaker with expertise in energy sectors, U.S. immigration legislation, and Middle Eastern geopolitical issues.

Previously a faculty member at Georgetown University, Sobhani currently holds the roles of chairman and CEO at Caspian Group, an organization that promotes commerce between the United States, the Middle East, and former Soviet republics. He is also the founder and chief executive of Sparo Corporation and serves on the board of directors for Z Advanced Computing (ZAC). His authored works include a book addressing immigration titled Press 2 for English: Fix Immigration, Save America, as well as two publications focused on international relations: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia: A Leader of Consequence and The Pragmatic Entente: Israeli–Iranian Relations, 1948–1988.

In the 2012 Maryland United States Senate election, Sobhani ran as an independent candidate, competing against Republican Daniel Bongino, Libertarian Dean Ahmad, and Democratic incumbent Ben Cardin. He garnered 16.4% of the vote—a record high for an independent or third-party contender in the state. Cardin secured re-election with 56%, while Bongino received 26.3%.

Early life and education

Sobhani was born in Kansas and spent part of his youth in Iran, where his family originates. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, his parents relocated to the United States while he was continuing his higher education. He obtained both undergraduate and doctoral degrees in Political Economy from Georgetown University, where he later served as an adjunct professor. For over thirty years, he has lived in Montgomery County with his wife and two children.

Career

As founder, chairman, and CEO of Caspian Group Holdings, LLC, Sobhani leads a diversified company engaged in international ventures spanning energy—including renewable sources—technology development, infrastructure projects, publishing, and strategic consulting.

In 2012, he collaborated with the National Oil and Gas Authority, Petra Solar, and the Bahrain Petroleum Company to deploy American-manufactured "smart" solar technology at locations such as Awali and the University of Bahrain. This project integrated solar energy with advanced smart grid systems to provide reliable renewable power while improving electrical infrastructure resilience and lowering future grid maintenance expenses.

During negotiations in 1990 between Soviet Azerbaijan SSR authorities and BP concerning offshore oil exploration rights, Sobhani—who is proficient in Azeri—was engaged by Communist Party leader Ayaz Mutalibov. His participation contributed to Amoco obtaining exclusive exploration rights for the Azeri oil field for a one-year period starting in 1991. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, various firms acquired stakes in offshore oil ventures.

U.S. Senate campaigns

Prior to 2012, Sobhani sought election to the United States Senate from Maryland twice as a Republican, losing primary contests in both 1992 to Alan L. Keyes and 2000 to Paul Rappaport.

In his 2012 independent campaign, Sobhani emphasized employment and education reforms through five principal objectives:

• Channeling $3 billion into Maryland's infrastructure via public-private partnership models.
• Allocating $1 billion through public-private partnerships to revitalize Baltimore's inner-city housing by issuing microloans aimed at combating urban decay and fostering homeownership.
• Securing $500 million from international non-profit organizations dedicated to cancer research and treatment at institutions such as Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and the National Institutes of Health.
• Obtaining $150 million from global non-profits to finance scholarships and internship opportunities for low-income students within Maryland.
• Increasing exports by $1 billion for Maryland companies by connecting them to international markets.

He committed to serving no more than two terms, pledged not to seek re-election if these goals remained unmet, and vowed to collaborate with members of both major parties willing to work together.

Personal life

Sobhani has actively supported fundraising initiatives for the Urban Alliance Foundation, which complements his objective to raise $150 million from international non-profit organizations to provide scholarships and internship opportunities for economically disadvantaged students in Maryland.

Contributions

Sobhani has offered his expertise as a commentator for prominent publications such as:

• The Hill
• The Washington Times
• CNN
• The Christian Science Monitor
• Huffington Post
• The Baltimore Sun
• The Hoya
• Forbes

Additionally, he has been featured on various media platforms including:

• CBS Baltimore
• WBAL (AM)
• WYPR
• America Tonight with Kate Delaney