UANI Calls on Transammonia to End Its Business in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2010 Contact: Kimmie Lipscomb, press@unitedagainstnucleariran.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on Transammonia to End Its Business in Iran New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) on Friday called on American chemicals giant Transammonia, Inc. (Transammonia) to end its business in Iran. Transammonia is listed on UANI's Iran Business Registry (IBR). On Tuesday, CNBC interviewed UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, regarding Transammonia's business in Iran. The clip can be viewed here. Transammonia, via a foreign subsidiary, conducts business with the Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company (IPCC), a subsidiary of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC), which is wholly-owned by the Iranian government. The U.S. Treasury Department has added NPC and IPCC to the Iranian Transactions Regulations which prohibit transactions between U.S. entities and the Government of Iran. In a letter to Ronald P. Stanton, the CEO of Transammonia, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) calls on Transammonia to cease all business dealings in Iran. This includes not only Transammonia's subsidiaries here in the United States, but overseas as well. Transammonia is currently using foreign subsidiaries, in this case Transammonia AG in Switzerland, to circumvent U.S. law. More broadly, Transammonia has had business dealings with the Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company (IPCC), which is the subsidiary and international trading arm of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC). As recently as February of this year, Transammonia purchased over 23,000 tons of ammonia from IPCC. (Chemical News & Intelligence, February 24, 2010) NPC and IPCC are of particular concern because NPC is wholly-owned by the Iranian government so its profits directly facilitate Iran's ability to pursue nuclear weapons and advance its weapons of mass destruction programs. Given the nature of NPC and IPCC as well as their business dealings in ammonia, UANI also has concerns about these companies' ability to contribute to the production of roadside bombs. These bombs are now the primary killer of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, leading President Obama to launch a worldwide effort to stop the flow of ammonium nitrate into the country (The New York Times, "U.S. Tries to End Flow of Bomb Item to Afghanistan," November 15, 2010). In light of above mentioned concerns, on June 16, 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department added NPC and its subsidiary IPCC to the Iranian Transactions Regulations (ITR), which "prohibit transactions between U.S. persons and the Government of Iran." (U.S. Department of Treasury, "Fact Sheet: U.S. Treasury Department Targets Iran's Nuclear and Missile Programs," June 16, 2010). Other governments, including the United Kingdom and Japan have also identified NPC as being an entity of proliferation concern. UANI calls upon Transammonia to end its business dealings in Iran and stop hiding behind foreign subsidiaries to circumvent not only the law, but the clear intent of the American people. While many responsible corporations are pulling out of Iran, it is especially important for Transammonia to do so because the business dealings that the company and its subsidiaries have had with NPC and IPCC line the pockets of the mullahs in Tehran, thereby enabling them to pursue policies which threaten the broader region and the United States. In light of the above concerns, please let us hear from you by December 20, 2010 as to your intentions regarding your business dealings in Iran. # # # Click here to send a message to Transammonia. Click here to read the full text of the letter to Transammonia. Click here to learn more about the Iran Disclosure Project. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran should concern every American and be unacceptable to the community of nations. Since 1979 the Iranian regime, most recently under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, has demonstrated increasingly threatening behavior and rhetoric toward the US and the West. Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations in their attempts to monitor its nuclear activities. A number of Arab states have warned that Iran's development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to Middle East stability and could provoke a regional nuclear arms race. In short, the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran is a danger to world peace. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons. UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons. The Objectives of United Against a Nuclear Iran Inform the public about the nature of the Iranian regime, including its desire and intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran's role as a state sponsor of global terrorism, and a major violator of human rights at home and abroad; Heighten awareness nationally and internationally about the danger that a nuclear armed Iran poses to the region and the world; Mobilize public support, utilize media outreach, and persuade our elected leaders to voice a robust and united American opposition to a nuclear Iran; Lay the groundwork for effective US policies in coordination with European and other allies; Persuade the regime in Tehran to desist from its quest for nuclear weapons, while striving not to punish the Iranian people, and; Promote efforts that focus on vigorous national and international, social, economic, political and diplomatic measures. UANI is led by an advisory board of outstanding national figures representing all sectors of our country.

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