UANI Calls on Konecranes to End Its Business in Iran as Part of Ongoing Cranes Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 18, 2011 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on Konecranes to End Its Business in Iran as Part of Ongoing Cranes Campaign New York, NY - On Thursday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Finnish crane manufacturer Konecranes Oyi to end its business in Iran. Konecranes lists two Iranian companies on its website - Sepahan Lifter and Fassan Co. Additionally, Konecranes subsidiary Morris Material Handling has been reported to sell crane kits to the Iran-based Arian Company. UANI's "Cranes Campaign" highlights the Iranian regime's abhorrent executions by hanging from construction cranes, and the disturbing reality that these cranes are coming from Western and Asian companies. On July 6, Ambassador Wallace wrote a Los Angeles Times op-ed, "Iran's Execution Binge," which detailed the Iranian regime's use of construction cranes for public hangings and called on crane manufacturers to "take the principled stand of renouncing their business ties with the regime until Iran becomes a civilized member of the international community." In response to the Cranes Campaign, crane manufacturers Tadano, Terex, and UNIC have announced an end to their business in Iran. In a letter to Konecranes President and CEO Pekka Lundmark, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: UANI is urging all crane manufacturers, including Konecranes, to end their business operations in Iran until the current regime in Tehran ends this grisly practice and stops threatening the world through its pursuit of an illegal nuclear weapon. *** The extensive business relationships that Konecranes maintains with Iranian entities create the strong possibility that the Iranian regime has used Konecranes equipment for public hangings. Even putting aside the clear misuse of these cranes for public executions, the possibility of the Konecranes name being even remotely associated with the authoritarian regime in Tehran should be reason enough for Konecranes to sever its business in Iran. *** UANI calls on Konecranes to end its business dealings with Iranian entities and guarantee that none of its cranes and other equipment are being used to perpetrate such grave violations of human rights. UANI also calls on Konecranes to follow the good example set by Caterpillar, Komatsu, Tadano, UNIC and Terex and immediately end its presence in Iran. UANI requested a reply from Konecranes by August 26, 2011. Click here to send a message to Konecranes. Click here to read UANI's letter to Konecranes. Click here to learn more about UANI's 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.