UANI Applauds South Africa's Sasol for Exiting Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 19, 2013  Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com  Phone: (212) 554-3296   UANI Applauds South Africa's Sasol for Exiting Iran  Energy Giant Leaves Country Following UANI Campaign, Op-Ed, Billboard New York, NY - On Monday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) applauded South Africa's Sasol for ending its business in Iran. Sasol announced today that it has sold its stake in the Arya Sasol Polymer Co., an Iranian entity it partnered with to operate polyethylene plants in the country. Sasol stated that it as of today "has no on-going investment in Iran." Sasol first announced its plans to leave Iran in November 2011. After that exit failed to happen for more than a year, UANI launched a Sasol campaign, highlighting with an Op-Ed and billboard Sasol's decision to remain in Iran while also pursuing a multi-billion dollar gas-to-liquids project in Louisiana. UANI most recently contacted Sasol last month regarding its business in Iran. Said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, today: We applaud Sasol for exiting Iran. This sale satisfies our concerns with Sasol, and thankfully brings this matter to an end. No responsible company should be doing business in Iran today, particularly if it also wishes to do business in the U.S. Companies that remain in Iran are risking serious financial and reputational harm, and should not expect to be green-lighted for work in the U.S. When businesses are forced to choose between the U.S. market and the Iranian market, they will invariably exit Iran. On February 2, 2013, the Shreveport Times published an Op-Ed by Ambassador Wallace highlighting Sasol's business with the Iranian regime. "Sasol and other companies must be forced to make a choice," wrote Ambassador Wallace. "Get out of Iran or get out of Louisiana." In April, UANI put up a billboard near Sasol's Louisiana offices, reading "BEFORE YOU BUILD HERE, STOP BUILDING IN IRAN. SASOL MUST CHOOSE: LOUISIANA OR IRAN'S TERRORIST REGIME." UANI's billboard was reported as the lead story on the local KPLC-NBC "7News at Six" in Lake Charles. Click here to read UANI's July 9, 2013 letter to Sasol. Click here to read UANI's December 19, 2012 letter to Sasol.         Click here to see KPLC-NBC's report about UANI's Sasol billboard. Click here to read Ambassador Wallace's Shreveport Times Op-Ed, "Make La. Iran-free energy zone." ### 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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