[25][26] Akhavan appeared in the documentary The Green Wave[27] had testified before the European Parliament, United States Commissions, and the Canadian Parliament, advocating non-violent democratic transitions, emphasis on human rights rather than the nuclear issue, targeted sanctions against human rights abusers, and firmly opposing war.
[28] Akhavan has collaborated Shirin Ebadi on Iran human rights issues, including an opinion piece in the Washington Post.
[29][30][31] He was the academic supervisor of Nargess Tavassolian, Shirin Ebadi's daughter, during her graduate studies at McGill University.
In August 2008, the Iranian Government press made the "accusation" that "Nargess Tavassolian converted to Baháʼísm in 2007 under the direction of Payam Akhavan and started her activities in the Association for Baháʼí Studies" amidst death threats against Ebadi for "serving the foreigners and the Baháʼís.
"[32] In 2017, Akhavan was selected to deliver the Massey Lectures and wrote the book In Search of A Better World: A Human Rights Odyssey.