UANI Announces Times Square Billboard Highlighting Iran's Alliance with al-Qaeda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 9, 2011 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Announces Times Square Billboard Highlighting Iran's Alliance with al-Qaeda Billboard Coincides with Ahmadinejad's Upcoming Visit to Manhattan New York, NY - On Friday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) announced the launch of a Times Square billboard coinciding with President Ahmadinejad's upcoming visit to New York City. The billboard, located at the corner of 49th Street and 7th Avenue in Times Square, reads, "AS WE REMEMBER 9/11 TEN YEARS LATER, AL QAEDA'S SILENT PARTNER IS COMING TO NEW YORK." The billboard highlights Iran's partnership with al-Qaeda, which the U.S. Treasury Department detailed earlier this year. According to Treasury, Iran is allied with al-Qaeda, and is allowing al-Qaeda to use Iran as a place to transfer money, weapons, and fighters to bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This evidence follows recent reports that al-Qaeda operatives such as Saif al-Adel, the organization's chief military strategist, have been operating out of Iran with impunity. Speaking about UANI's Times Square billboard, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace said: This year, the U.S. government officially detailed Iran's relationship with al-Qaeda, and their work together to transfer money, weapons, and fighters to al-Qaeda bases in the region. It is reprehensible that any nation would sponsor al-Qaeda, and as Americans prepare to remember the horrific attacks of 9/11 it is outrageous that the leader of that nation will be traveling to New York City shortly. Ahmadinejad and his entourage are not welcome in New York City, the place where the very worst of 9/11 occurred. UANI calls on all Manhattan hotels and businesses to send a strong message to al-Qaeda's silent partner by refusing to accommodate Ahmadinejad. UANI is also calling on New York City's hotels to deny accommodation to Ahmadinejad. On August 16, The Daily Beast published an Op-Ed by Ambassador Wallace entitled "Hotels Should Ban Ahmadinejad." Given Ahmadinejad's statements denying 9/11 and the Iranian regime's covert alliance with Al Qaeda, Ambassador Wallace asked whether any Manhattan hotels could "honestly think it appropriate to provide accommodations to the leader of such a detestable government, specifically in the very city where the worst of 9/11 occurred?" Click here to view UANI's Times Square billboard. Click here to view a photo of the UANI billboard live in Times Square. Click here to read UANI's new executive research report, "Alliance Against America: Al Qaeda and Iran." Click here to learn more about UANI's Hotels Campaign. Click here to read the UANI Hotels Op-Ed on The Daily Beast website. ###

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.