UANI Board Chairman: Chemical attacks demand scrutiny on Iran's support of Syria

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 5, 2017 press@uani.com UANI Board Chairman: Chemical attacks demand scrutiny on Iran's support of Syria New Business Deals such as Boeing Airplane Sale to Iran Embolden Assad's Brutal Regime New York, NY - In the wake of Tuesday's chemical attack in Syria, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Advisory Board Chairman and Former U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman today urged the Trump Administration to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. The Trump Administration has authority under existing law to make such a designation, including using Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act or Executive Order 13224. "The chemical attack in Syria - one of the worst atrocities we have seen in years - was made possible by Iran and Russia's ongoing support of President Assad," said UANI Chairman and Former U.S. Senator (CT) Joseph Lieberman. "The IRGC is the main means of support - financial and otherwise - for the Syrian regime and terrorist organizations throughout the region. This is why Iran remains, according to the U.S. State Department, the leading state-sponsor of terrorism in the world. The gas attacks in Syria demonstrate the urgent need to designate the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization and show that this behavior will not be tolerated by the United States," added Senator Lieberman. The IRGC, the security arm of the Ayatollah, maintains a large footprint in major sectors of the Iranian economy, such as the air, energy, and auto industries, and provides training, weapons, and resources to extremist groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah and Hamas. Just this week, American company Boeing signed a tentative deal to sell thirty jets to Iran's Aseman Airlines. "Boeing's announcement is deeply troubling, as increased funds in Iran, even through private Iranian airliners like Aseman Air, could help drive funding to IRGC front companies that support terrorism. The deal, which on the surface seems legitimate, poses severe business risks to American companies," added Senator Lieberman. "While Iran's business climate remains tumultuous and continues to support regional atrocities, new investment risks funneling cash to the IRGC, emboldens Assad to commit further attacks, and creates grave human rights risks for civilians - both in Syria and abroad." For more information, or to speak with Senator Lieberman or UANI leadership, please contact: press@uani.com. About UANI UANI is an independent, not-for-profit, non-partisan, advocacy group founded in 2008 by Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, former CIA Director Jim Woolsey, and Middle East Expert Ambassador Dennis Ross, that seeks to heighten awareness of the danger the Iranian regime poses to the world. ### Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Eye on Iran is not intended as a comprehensive media clips summary but rather a selection of media elements with discreet analysis in a PDA friendly format. For more information please email press@uani.com. 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.

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