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

October 12, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 12, 2012

Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected] 

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."


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