UANI Launches MTN Campaign, Calls for End to MTN's Business in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Launches MTN Campaign, Calls for End to MTN's Business in Iran Campaign Includes Facebook and Online Advertisements Highlighting MTN's Work with the Regime New York, NY - On Monday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on South African telecommunications firm MTN to end its business in Iran. UANI's campaign was previewed on Friday by The Wall Street Journal. UANI has contacted MTN's leadership, and also began online and Facebook advertisements that show Iranian suppression and read "MTN: Monitoring The Nation," and "Suppressing Protesters in Iran since 2009." MTN Irancell is the second-largest mobile phone network operator in Iran, and the majority of its shares are owned by the Iranian regime, which has exploited MTN's network and technology to monitor and track the activities and communications of peaceful dissidents. MTN Irancell has reportedly shared location data with the regime, and ordered the suspension of text messaging and Skype during protests against the fraudulent Iranian presidential elections in 2009. In letter to MTN Group President and CEO Sifiso Dabengwa, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: While Iran's nuclear and terrorist activities should be reason enough for a corporation to pull out of Iran, the regime's serious human rights abuses should be of particular concern to MTN. As MTN must know, there is ample evidence of Iran using telecommunications equipment to illegally track, monitor, and in some cases arrest, detain and torture Iranian citizens opposed to the current extremist regime. While UANI recognizes that telecommunications firms do not necessarily condone those activities, it is nevertheless a concern to many that corporations such as MTN allow their technology to be used to carry out egregious human rights abuses. For example, MTN is a 49% shareholder of MTN Irancell, the second largest mobile phone network operator in Iran. The majority 51% is in turn owned by the Iranian regime, which has exploited the network and telecommunication technology of MTN Irancell to monitor and track the activities and communications of peaceful dissidents in Iran. **** ... it appears that MTN is taking advantage of the fact that responsible corporations are leaving Iran, and eagerly filling the void. MTN must end its irresponsible business practices in Iran and, in particular, its direct collaboration with the Iranian regime. On MTN's own website, the company lists "Democracy, Peace, Equity and Justice" as core values integral to effective corporate governance. (MTN Website) It is time for MTN to apply those principles to its business in Iran, something it cannot do by partnering with one of the world's most brutal and lawless regimes. As part of its Tech and Telecom campaign, UANI has targeted telecommunications providers that are active in Iran. In December, the Chinese firm Huawei scaled back its business in Iran under pressure from UANI. UANI has requested a reply from MTN by February 6, 2012. Click here to read UANI's full letter to MTN. Click here and here to see UANI's MTN advertisements. Click here to send a message to MTN. ### 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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