UANI Statement on Chinese Telecom Giant ZTE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 11, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Statement on Chinese Telecom Giant ZTE New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued the following statement today regarding a Reuters report that the ZTE Corporation (ZTE) of China, in 2011, "agreed to ship to Iran millions of dollars worth of embargoed U.S. computer equipment:" ZTE has publicly stated that it has scaled back its business in Iran, no longer accepts new Iranian customers, and will not fulfill a 2011 contract to ship embargoed U.S. computer equipment to Iran. We applaud these first steps, but hope ZTE is serious about ending its business in Iran, particularly given the regime's past abuse of ZTE technology to track and silence dissenters. ZTE should remain diligent in preventing the Iranian regime from using ZTE as a "work around" to avoid international sanctions. It is important that China's second-largest telecommunications firm is joining the worldwide movement to isolate Iran. No longer is it true that one company leaving Iran will just mean another rushing in to fill the void; Iran is now off limits to responsible businesses everywhere. Last month, UANI called on ZTE to end its business in Iran, and stop enabling the Iranian regime's surveillance activities. ZTE had previously sold powerful surveillance equipment to the Iranian regime, and thereby helped facilitate the regime's campaign of terror against its own citizens. ­ While initially vague about its plans in Iran, ZTE recently pledged that it "no longer seeks new customers in Iran and limits business activities with existing customers." UANI launched its "Tech & Telecom Campaign" in 2011 to highlight the practices of international firms that provide the Iranian regime with sensitive technology and telecommunications equipment that are used to restrict and monitor internet and cellphone services. In December 2011, Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei voluntarily scaled back its business in Iran following extensive discussions with UANI-the first time that a major Chinese business had done so. As Ambassador Wallace wrote in a December 20, 2011 CNBC.com Op-Ed, "The Huawei case has disproved the pessimistic thought that it is pointless to engage Chinese companies on issues such as proliferation and human rights. Clearly, a Chinese company IS capable of making a conscientious and responsible decision." Click here to read the full text of UANI's March 26 letter to ZTE. Click here to read Ambassador Wallace's December 20, 2011 CNBC.com Op-Ed, "Why a Chinese Company Finally Decided to Pull Back from Iran." Click here to learn more about UANI's Tech & Telecom Campaign. ### 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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