UANI Urges American-Affiliated Companies to Support U.S. Veterans and Reject Iran Business Opportunities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2016

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UANI URGES AMERICAN-AFFILIATED COMPANIES TO SUPPORT U.S. VETERANS AND REJECT IRAN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

International advocacy organization launches Veterans Advisory Council to warn companies of the dangers associated with doing business in Iran

New York, NY United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) launched a new campaign today calling on American-affiliated companies to show solidarity with U.S. veterans by avoiding business pursuits in Iran. The regime, which remains the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, continues to threaten American soldiers through its agents and proxies. Over the years, Iran has been responsible for killing more than 1,000 U.S. service members.

UANI is urging more than 50 leading global businesses to sign an "Iran Business Declaration" (IBD), which outlines a commitment to avoid the plethora of financial, legal and reputationalrisks attached to Iranian business ventures; documents Iran's history of supporting terrorists; and highlights recent public polling, which shows 60% of U.S. likely voters would stop buying products from a company if it did business in Iran and 56% would feel compelled to sell their stock in a company if it invested in Iran.

"United Against Nuclear Iran is committed to supporting our veterans who risk their lives while fighting for our freedom," said U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Chairman of UANI. "We must not allow Iran to continue its support of terrorism without being held accountable. That begins with American-affiliated companies showing their solidarity with our brave men and women by not doing business in Iran."

Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO of UANI continued, "By signing the Declaration, companies are affirming their support for our veterans and clearly aligning themselves with the majority of the American public who will not tolerate the embrace of a regime that is responsible for killing more than 1,000 U.S. service members."

To coincide with the launch of the new campaign, UANI also announced the formation of a Veterans Advisory Council, which will be led by Captain Pete Hegseth (Retired)Captain Michael Pregent (Retired) and Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett (Retired), who was badly injured by an Iranian bomb while on patrol in Iraq in 2005. The council will help to educate government and business leaders about the dangers of doing business with Iran as it relates to the regime's support of terrorists who target U.S. servicemen around the world.

"As one of the world's leading state-sponsors of terrorism it is inexcusable for companies to enter into business dealings with Iran when they are fully aware of the great physical and emotional harm this regime has caused for our men and women in uniform," said the members of the newly formed UANI veteran advisory board.  "We look forward to working with our colleagues at UANI to further educate business leaders, government officials and policymakers about the risks associated with engaging in economic opportunities in Iran."

Yesterday, UANI's Staff Sergeant Bartlett authored an op-ed in The Hill on the dangers the Iranian regime poses to U.S. military personnel in the region.

Led by a group of former leading diplomats and lawmakers, UANI is in the midst of a global education campaign focused on the corporate risks of doing business with Iran, warning hundreds of international companies that are contemplating Iran as a new investment opportunity.  As part of its campaign to highlight the dangers of business with the Iranian regime, UANI has identified a matrix of 10 key risk categories businesses and sovereign states face should they pursue deals with Tehran.

Veterans Advisory Council

Captain Pete Hegseth (Retired) served in Afghanistan and Iraq and holds two Bronze Star medals and a Combat Infantryman Badge.  He is Princeton/Harvard graduate, veterans advocacy leader and military analyst.  He previously served as CEO for Concerned Veterans for America, the largest veterans and military families organization in the country as well as executive director of Vets for Freedom, an organization committed to victory on the battlefield.

Captain Michael Pregent (Retired) is the executive director of Veterans Against the (Iran) Deal and former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer and Defense Intelligence Agency with nearly 30 years of experience working in security, terrorism, counter-insurgency and policy issues in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.  He is a senior Middle East analyst, an adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute and visiting fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. 

Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett (Retired) is a Bronze Star medal and Purple Heart recipient who served in Iraq and was severely injured in combat by a bomb in 2005.  He has also received the Warriors Medal of Valor from the Native Americans, Soldiers of the Quarter from the American Legion, Brain Injury Society Award, Patient of Courage form the Society of Plastic Surgeons.  He works with injured veterans at Walter Reed to participate in outdoor recreational healing and volunteered with the Pentagon to guide military tactics in combat and be more effective in battle operations.

For more information, or to speak with UANI leadership, please contact: [email protected].

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