UANI Calls on Germany's KROHNE to Cease All Iran Business Activities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2013 Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com  Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on Germany's KROHNE to Cease All Iran Business Activities New York, NY - On Wednesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on German industrial manufacturer KROHNE Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG (KROHNE) to end its business in Iran. KROHNE conducts business in Iran's petrochemical and industrial sectors through a liaison office in Tehran. KRONE's business includes the supply of advanced metering equipment and other components the regime uses to maintain its oil production, the proceeds of which fund its nuclear weapons program. KROHNE also supplies tanker components to the regime for its new Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) construction. These vessels, built in shipyards owned by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), are being constructed for Iran to skirt international sanctions and maintain its oil trade. In a letter sent to KROHNE's CEOs, Michael Dubbick and Stephan Neuberger, UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: ... Specifically, UANI is concerned that KROHNE's apparent direct presence in Iran supports the regime's petrochemical production, and also enables the provision of technology and precision petrochemical machinery for Iran's new tanker construction. KROHNE's Iran business activities undermine U.S., EU, and UN sanctions as well as the global effort by responsible non-governmental actors to isolate Iran and degrade the regime's ability to continue its illicit nuclear proliferation activities, maintain its floundering crude oil exports and provide support for its proxies and allies in the region. Accordingly, UANI calls on KROHNE to immediately cease all Iran business activities. KROHNE conducts extensive business in Iran's petrochemical and industrial sectors through the KROHNE liaison office in Tehran. Such business includes the supply of advanced metering equipment and other components vital to the regime's efforts to maintain its oil production, the proceeds of which directly fund its illicit activities, including its nuclear weapons program. Further, despite the efforts of the international community to limit the regime's petrochemical revenues, KROHNE appears to be actively profiting from its supply of advanced petrochemical technologies to Iran. For example, KROHNE attended the 2012 Iran Oil Show, and advertised KROHNE products to key members of the Iranian regime. **** Despite these positive developments, a few irresponsible entities continue to provide valuable expertise, services and investment to the Iranian regime. For example, KROHNE supplies vital tanker components to the regime for its new Very Large Crude Carrier ("VLCC") construction. The vessels, built in shipyards owned by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation ("CSIC") and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ("CSSC"), will expand the NITC's carriage and storage capacity by up to 24 million barrels. As you may know, the NITC and Iranian regime utilize ship-to-ship ("STS") transfers and other illicit schemes in order to maintain oil exports. These STS transfer schemes are dependent on the precision tank monitoring and flow control systems such as those supplied by KROHNE for use in Iran's latest and most capable carriers. Specifically, KROHNE subsidiary KROHNE Skarpenord touted a "massive" order for "extensive" tank monitoring systems for the NITC's 12 new VLCCs. KROHNE's contract includes the provision of over 1500 advanced subsystems that will support crucial capabilities relied upon by the NITC for its illicit oil shipment schemes in circumvention of international sanctions. Moreover, the Iranian regime's seaborne export capacity is currently limited by restrictions on the provision of technical expertise and tanker replacement parts to Iran, as well as by the age of the vessels in the NITC's fleet. KROHNE's work with the CSIC and CSSC supports the construction of VLCCs for the NITC fleet and will greatly assist the regime in overcoming such limitations. Put simply, KROHNE is assisting the Iranian regime's development of its most lucrative economic sector, the revenues from which go directly to fund the regime's nefarious activities, including its nuclear program. KROHNE should be aware of EU legislation that sanctions activities carried out in support of Iran's construction of new tankers. In October, the EU passed Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP, officially sanctioning the NITC and prohibiting " the construction or the participation in the construction of new oil tankers for Iran..." in addition to prohibiting the provision of "...technical assistance or financing or financial assistance to the construction of new oil tankers for Iran..." KROHNE's involvement in the construction of VLCCs for Iran may violate these sanctions measures. ... UANI's "Germany Campaign" highlights the extensive Iran business activities of German businesses, firms and entities. German businesses are bolstering the Iranian economy and expanding Iranian industrial capacity at a time when the international community is working to economically isolate the Iranian regime. UANI has requested a reply from KROHNE by April 11, 2013. Click here to read UANI's full letter to KROHNE. Click here to learn more about UANI's Germany Campaign.    ###  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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