UANI Condemns MTN for Pressuring South Africa to Vote in Support of Iran's Nuclear Program, Calls for Sanctions Against MTN

   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 27, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com  Phone: (212) 554-3296   UANI Condemns MTN for Pressuring South Africa to Vote in Support of Iran's Nuclear Program, Calls for Sanctions Against MTN New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued the following statement Monday after South Africa's International Relations and Co-operation Minister confirmed that MTN successfully pressured the South African government into not voting to refer Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council:   MTN has blood on its hands from assisting the Iranian regime in brutalizing its own people. Now, it has been revealed that MTN engaged in corruption of the highest order, and a shameful affront to the principles of international law. The only conclusion one can reach from this news is that MTN is willing to assist Iran's illicit and dangerous nuclear weapons program to promote its business in Iran. MTN is a direct threat to global security and U.S. national security interests. The Obama administration, the EU, and UN should sanction MTN immediately. Under no circumstances can a company that actively lobbies on behalf of Iran's nuclear program continue to access international markets and transact with legitimate companies and institutions.   We are concerned about reports earlier this month stating that MTN had discussions with the U.S. government about repatriating its earnings out of Iran. The U.S. should not assist MTN in any way in repatriating its ill-gotten gains.   MTN's partnership with the Iranian regime, which literally is a 51%-49% partnership, is one of the most reckless and dangerous corporate/sovereign relationships in the world.   We call for a global boycott of MTN's products and services.   MTN was a charter member of UANI's Iran Business Registry, launched in 2009, and a continuing focus of UANI's telecommunications campaign. MTN is the primary partner of the Iranian regime's mobile telecommunications systems, as a 49% shareholder in MTN Irancell, the rest of which is owned by the regime itself. MTN has carried out orders from the regime to shut off text messaging and Skype during times of political protest, and reportedly has a floor in its Tehran headquarters where Iranian military officials compile and access tracking data. Click here to read UANI's February 29 letter to MTN. Click here to read UANI's January 25 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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