UANI Calls on EU to Impose Full Economic Blockade on Iranian Regime, Sanction and Sever Iranian Banks from SWIFT, Deny Parts to Iranian Tankers, and Designate Hizballah a Terrorist Entity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2012 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com  Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on EU to Impose Full Economic Blockade on Iranian Regime, Sanction and Sever Iranian Banks from SWIFT, Deny Parts to Iranian Tankers, and Designate Hizballah a Terrorist Entity New York, NY - On Friday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on the European Union to impose an economic blockade against Iran, sanction designate and compel SWIFT to deny access to all Iranian banks, deny specialized European spare parts for Iranian tankers, and designate Hizballah a terrorist entity, The EU is reportedly considering new sanctions against Iran's banking sector and shipping industry. Said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace: Iran's economy is feeling the effects of international sanctions, and its currency has crashed as a result. The EU now has the opportunity to force the regime's hand, and possibly avert military action, by imposing an economic blockade against Iran. Now is not the time for half-measures. An economic blockade would mean that any company that does business in Iran would no longer be able to do business in EU nations, or raise capital there. Corporate entities should face a clear choice: do business in the EU or in Iran. An EU-imposed economic blockade would include a number of measures. First, the EU must do its part to impose a banking blockade on Iran by sanctioning all Iranian banks and financial institutions. The EU should then compel SWIFT to stop providing these Iranian banks and institutions access to the international financial system. Although SWIFT has cut off Iranian banks sanctioned by the EU, the regime is still using at least 12 non-EU sanctioned banks to access SWIFT and circumvent sanctions. SWIFT must deny access to all Iranian banks. If SWIFT refuses to take these measures, then it should be sanctioned. The EU must also ban the sale of spare parts for Iranian tankers, as UANI has long called for as part of its Shipping Campaign.By denying access to spare parts, Europe can make it considerably more difficult and certainly more expensive for Iran to sell crude and access international trade markets. Furthermore, the EU must finally designate Hizballah as a terrorist entity. Hizballah has long acted as a terrorist proxy to the Iranian regime, and is known to provide military support to the Syrian regime. Further, Hizballah and Iran illicitly control the Lebanese banking system, and use it to fund terror attacks such as the one in Bulgaria this year. Finally, the EU must fully implement and enforce any existing measures designed to impede the flow of sophisticated currency orienting technology and products to Iran's central bank by European vendors, including banknotes and minted coinage. Click here to view UANI's Iran Rial Currency Printing Campaign page. Click here to view UANI's SWIFT Campaign page Click here to view UANI's Iran Currency Tracker. Click here to read the UANI Op-Ed "Ban Sales of Spare Parts for Iranian Tankers."   ###  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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