UANI Releases Photographs of Tadano and UNIC Cranes Being Used for Public Executions in Iran, Calls on Tadano and UNIC to End Business in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2011 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Releases Photographs of Tadano and UNIC Cranes Being Used for Public Executions in Iran, Calls on Tadano and UNIC to End Business in Iran New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) on Wednesday called on crane manufacturers Tadano and UNIC to end their business dealings in Iran, where the Iranian regime has been using their cranes to perform brutal public executions. UANI released photographic evidence showing that Iranian citizens have been publicly hung from Tadano and UNIC cranes, and wrote to Tadano and UNIC executives calling on them to pull out of Iran. Tadano, a Japanese construction equipment manufacturer, maintains ties with IER Iran, an Iranian subsidiary, as well as with Part Loader Co., which states that it operates as Tadano's only authorized distributor in Iran. UNIC is a Japanese hydraulic crane manufacturer specializing in truck-mounted cranes and mini crawler cranes with a turnover of $485 million and over 60 overseas sales locations. As part of its newly launched "Cranes Campaign," UANI is highlighting the Iranian regime's abhorrent public executions by hanging from construction cranes, and the disturbing reality that these cranes are coming from Western and Asian companies. In a letter to Tadano's CEO and President, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace wrote: Recently, photos have been published in Iran of Tadano cranes being used to hang Iranians in public executions. While UANI recognizes that Tadano is in no way condoning this behavior, it is important for Tadano to send the strongest message possible to the Iranian government that the misuse of Tadano products is unacceptable. To this end, UANI is calling on Tadano, to end its business dealings in Iran. In a corresponding letter to UNIC President Kenji Ichimura, Ambassador Wallace wrote: Responsible corporations, notably construction companies Caterpillar and Komatsu, have also already pulled out of Iran. These companies made this decision in light of Iran's continued pursuit of an illicit nuclear weapons program and its continued sponsorship of terrorist groups throughout the region like Hezbollah and Hamas. Iran is also engaged in a brutal campaign of oppression against the democratic aspirations of its own people, as evidenced so profoundly by the use of UNIC cranes to stage public executions. Despite the clear misuse of these cranes for public executions, the possibility of UNIC's name being even remotely associated with the despotic regime in Tehran should be reason enough to end UNIC's business in Iran. This is well in keeping with broader efforts by the United States and Japan to impose increasingly tougher sanctions against the regime in the past year in light of its abysmal human rights record, as well as its continued violations of the provisions of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty through its pursuit of an illegal nuclear weapons program. UANI's Cranes Campaign highlights Iran's blistering pace of executions in the first months of 2011, with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran proclaiming that the regime is on an "execution binge." Since the New Year, according to Amnesty International, more than 135 executions have taken place. This year, Amnesty reports that the regime has hanged as many as 13 people in public, compared to only 14 in all of 2010. Responsible corporations, notably construction companies Terex, Caterpillar, and Komatsu have already pulled out of Iran. In addition to Tadano and UNIC, as part of the Cranes Campaign UANI is also calling on Manitowoc, a U.S. cranes company, and foreign equipment manufacturers such as Liebherr (Germany), Cargotec (Finland), Konecranes (Finland), XCMG (China), Kobelco (Japan), Zoomlion (China) and Gottwald (Germany) to account for their business in Iran and the likelihood that their cranes are being used for public executions. Click here to send a message to Tadano and UNIC. Click here to read the letter to Tadano. Click here to read the letter to UNIC. Click here to learn more about the UANI Cranes Campaign. ### 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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