In Case You Missed It: "Backers of Iran Sanctions Make an Appeal to China"

In Case You Missed It: "Backers of Iran Sanctions Make an Appeal to China" Backers of Iran Sanctions Make an Appeal to China By Rick Gladstone The New York Times February 14, 2012 American advocacy groups that want to isolate Iran over its suspect nuclear program singled out China on Monday, using the visit to the United States by China's next leader to criticize the vast Chinese purchases of Iranian petroleum, and to urge him and President Obama to forge a common position opposing Iran's uranium enrichment. In a letter addressed to Vice President Xi Jinping of China, a bipartisan group of former national security advisers urged him to support the sanctions efforts by the United States and the European Union, which seek to penalize Iran in part by severely limiting its ability to export oil. ... "We believe that the value of these sanctions is to encourage the kind of diplomatic breakthrough on Iran's nuclear activities that both of our nations seek," read the letter from the security advisers group, the Partnership for a Secure America, based in Washington. "In the context of your historic trip to the United States, we therefore urge you to make clear that China will significantly reduce its imports of oil from Iran, uphold the applicable resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and use its economic influence with Tehran, coupled with robust diplomacy, to help resolve this issue peacefully." In a letter addressed to Mr. Obama, United Against Nuclear Iran, a New York-based group that has successfully advocated for some of the harshest American sanctions, urged him to aggressively seek concessions on the Iran issue from Mr. Xi, who is to meet with Mr. Obama on Tuesday. "It is imperative that you state in the strongest possible terms that China's lack of cooperation in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability is a matter of utmost concern to the United States," read the letter by the group's president, Mark D. Wallace. "China must fully comprehend that the greatest security threat the United States currently faces is the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran." ... Click here to read the full piece on The New York Times's website. Click here to read UANI's full letter to President Obama. ### 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.

Forward email American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran | 45 Rockefeller Plaza | New York | NY | 10111