Following New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, UANI Calls on SWIFT to Sever Ties with All Iranian Banks

   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 13, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 Following New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, UANI Calls on SWIFT to Sever Ties with All Iranian Banks UANI Reiterates Call for International Banking Blockade Against Iran New York, NY - On Friday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) to immediately discontinue services to all Iranian banks, and close banking loopholes that allow the Iranian regime to continue financing terrorism and its nuclear program. Yesterday, the U.S. government sanctioned at least nine Iranian banks that maintain SWIFT access (listed below), and are still used by the regime to transfer and accept funds worldwide. Said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace: Now is the time for a full banking blockade against the Iranian regime, and SWIFT needs to play its part. SWIFT made the right decision in February to deny access to Iran's Central Bank and some other institutions, but it has thus far failed to cut off all Iranian banks and entities. SWIFT should immediately sever its ties with all Iranian banks, particularly the ten that have been sanctioned by the U.S. government but still maintain SWIFT access. Every day that SWIFT permits these illegitimate banks to have continued access to its network is a day the Iranian regime will continue to circumvent international sanctions. As the world weans itself off of Iranian crude, there is not a need to maintain conduits for energy related payments, but a need for an international banking embargo against Iran. UANI launched its SWIFT campaign in January 2012, with a detailed legal explanation to SWIFT, international banking and regulatory officials, and U.S. lawmakers, showing how SWIFT is in violation of U.S. and EU sanctions--as well as its own bylaws--by affording Iranian banks Business Identifier Codes (BICs) and access to the SWIFT system. As a result, SWIFT discontinued services to Iranian institutions sanctioned by the EU, but permitted others to remain in the network. The ten banks that have been sanctioned by the U.S. government as of yesterday are: BANK OF INDUSTRY (BIC: BOIMIRTH) BANK DAY (BIC: DAYBIRT1) BANK PASARGAD (BIC: BKBPIRTH) EGHTESAD NOVIN BANK (BIC: BEGNIRTH) IRANIAN VENEZUELAN BI-NATIONAL BANK (BIC: IVBBIRTH) ISLAMIC REGIONAL COOPERATION BANK (BIC: RCDFIQBA) KARAFARIN BANK (BIC: KBIDIRTH) PARSIAN BANK (BIC: BKPAIRTH) SAMAN BANK CORPORATION (BIC: SABCIRTH) TAT BANK (BIC: TATBIRTH). Click here to learn more about UANI's call for an international banking blockade. Click here to read UANI's full letter to SWIFT on January 30, 2012. Click here to send a message to SWIFT. ###                                                                          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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