UANI Calls On Columbia University President to Cancel Ahmadinejad Dinner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2011 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls On Columbia University President to Cancel Ahmadinejad Dinner New York, NY - On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued the following statement following reports that Columbia University President Lee Bollinger has arranged to attend a private dinner for Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with Columbia students. UANI calls on Columbia University's President Lee Bollinger to cancel this "dinner with Ahmadinejad" immediately. It is highly inappropriate for the leader of a prestigious U.S. University to meet with the head of a regime that is defying the international community by pursuing nuclear weapons, ruthlessly violating the human rights of its people, and sponsoring al-Qaeda and other terrorists. Would Mr. Bollinger attend an event with the leaders of al-Qaeda? Four years ago, Bollinger hosted Ahmadinejad under the guise of "dialogue," and Columbia was widely criticized for that irresponsible decision, particularly given the offensive theories and remarks Ahmadinejad stated that day. To repeat the same mistake this year would be a serious affront to New York City and America. This is not a matter of dialogue or free speech, but of judgment. Providing Ahmadinejad with a forum to spread his vile and conspiratorial views regarding 9/11 and the Holocaust, among others matters, gives him the very platform and legitimacy he seeks, and will once again significantly harm Columbia University's reputation. Last week, 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." UANI also released a report detailing 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. 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." ###

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.