UANI Calls on InterContinental Hotels Group to Reverse Decision to Host Iranian Delegation During Human Rights Council Meeting in Geneva

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 13, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on InterContinental Hotels Group to Reverse Decision to Host Iranian Delegation During Human Rights Council Meeting in Geneva New York, NY - On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on the InterContinental Hotels Group to reverse its decision to host Iran's delegation during this month's meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. UANI recently learned of InterContinental's decision, which comes as Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, released a new report which found that Iran executed 670 individuals last year, including ethnic minorities, juveniles, and homosexuals. In a letter sent March 13, 2012 to Richard Solomons, CEO of InterContinental, UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: It is unacceptable that a luxury hotel would agree to host the regime in such opulent accommodations, particularly as the international community works to economically and diplomatically isolate the Iranian regime for its illicit nuclear program, egregious human rights violations and state sponsorship of terrorism. While Iran may be permitted to attend international organization events in such cities like Geneva, there is no basis for one of the world's leading hotel groups to provide this oppressive regime accommodations. Simply put, Iranian regime representatives may stay within the confines of Iran's embassies or in the case of Geneva, the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN. This would not be out of the norm. **** Unfortunately, rather than take these charges seriously, the Iranian regime has rejected Shaheed as incompetent and dismissed the report as a set of fabrications based on statements by "terrorists" and the Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi made the dubious statement before the HRC that Iran has the best human rights record in the Muslim world. **** By hosting the Iranian regime the InterContinental once again runs the risk of grave reputational harm. In 2009, the InterContinental received widespread scorn for hosting the Iranian President Ahmadinejad while he attended the UNGA. In 2010, the InterContinental committed to refuse to host the regime at the UNGA. For the InterContinental to fail on that commitment and host the regime in Geneva is regrettable and UANI will continue to demand that the InterContinental fulfill its commitment and abide by the global movement to economically isolate the Iranian regime. UANI is prepared to launch a worldwide campaign and boycott of the InterContinental if it persists in this behavior. Please confirm that you will no longer host the Iranian regime in Geneva or elsewhere. In 2009, InterContinental hosted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at The Barclay New York during the UN General Assembly, a decision which brought The Barclay a great deal of negative publicity. In 2010, InterContinental committed to refuse to host President Ahmadinejad. UANI has requested a response by March 16, 2012. Click here to read UANI's full letter to the InterContinental Hotels Group. Click here to send a message to Intercontinental. Click here to visit UANI's Hotels Campaign page. Click here to read the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in 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.

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