Cranes Campaign

One of the Iranian regime's preferred methods of execution is public hanging from a construction crane. To address this egregious phenomenon, UANI launched its "Cranes Campaign" in 2011 with a launch op-ed in the Los Angeles Timesentitled "Iran's Execution Binge."

In 2012 the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center reports that 522 people were executed in Iran. According to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, 670 people were executed in Iran in 2011. In Iran, offenses that carry the death penalty include homosexuality, adultery, and "enmity against God." Fair trials for these offenses are unheard of. A significant number of victims are publicly hanged from a construction crane, which is an especially slow and painful method of execution.

Unfortunately, the cranes used for these hangings are primarily supplied to Iran by Western and Asian companies. Any company that exports cranes to Iran is directly aiding the regime in its cruel persecution of dissidents and other innocents. Thus far, UANI has succeeded in pressuring leading crane manufacturers Terex (USA), Tadano (Japan), UNIC (Japan),Konecranes (Finland) and Liebherr (Germany) to end their business with the Iranian regime.

Please e-mail any additional photos of trademark cranes being used in public executions to [email protected].

Atlas cranes used in public executions in September and October 2013

Tadano cranes used in public executions

Palfinger crane used in a public execution

UNIC crane used in a public execution

  • Atlas Maschinen GmbH

    • Atlas Maschinen GmbH is a German construction equipment manufacturer.
    • Hydro Atlas, based in Tehran, states that it is "the only official representative of ATLAS gmbh in Iran" and that it "was initiated in 1976 with the participation and partnership of the German company ATLAS."

  • Cargotec

    • Cargotec is a cargo handling company that provides services for industrial, marine, harbor, and on-road cargo. Cargotec is based in Helsinki and had 2.6 billion euros in total sales in 2009. As of 2007 it was the world's second largest crane manufacturer.
    • A 2007 company press release reveals that the company exported ship cranes to Iran as part of a 70 million euro batch of orders from Asia.

  • Manitowoc Company

    • The Manitowoc Company is a publicly traded American crane company and self-identified "world's largest provider of lifting equipment for the global construction industry." It was the world's third largest crane company as of 2007.
    • In a 2002 press release, Iran is included as part of a Middle East sales area to be managed from a Dubai office. To that effect, Manitowoc's website lists this same Dubai office as its dealer serving Iran. In 2006, Manitowoc convened a meeting for Middle Eastern dealers of its Grove brand, which included representatives from Iran.

  • Xuzhou Heavy Machinery (XCMG)

    • Xuzhou Heavy Machinery (XCMG) is China's largest construction equipment manufacturing conglomerate, and the world's 6th largest crane manufacturer as of 2007.
    • The full line of XCMG equipment is made available for purchase in Iran through exclusive dealerRahdar Sanat Machine Co. Iran is specifically mentioned as an export destination on XCMG'swebsite.

  • Kobelco

    • Kobelco is a brand of the Kobe Steel Group, a Japanese metals company that also manufactures construction equipment. As of 2007, they were the 8th largest crane manufacturer in the world. Kobelco has a strong U.S. presence through its subsidiary Kobelco North America.
    • Kobelco cranes and construction equipment are sold through an exclusive Iranian distributor,Persia Sanat Machine Co., which makes the full line of Kobelco construction equipment available for purchase in Iran.

  • Zoomlion

    • Zoomlion is a Chinese construction manufacturer specializing in cranes. As of 2007, it was the world's 11th largest crane manufacturer. Zoomlion has nearly 20,000 employees and operates out of nine industrial parks, one of which is in Milan, Italy.
    • Zoomlion advertises its business with Iran on the front page of its website. A June 2010 companynewsletter trumpets its sale to Iran of twelve tower cranes including a TC7035B-16, "the largest tower crane that had been exported to Iran." The newsletter states that "By far, the tower cranes from Zoomlion have made up the main part of the total market shares of Iran."

  • Gottwald

    • Gottwald manufactures equipment for material handling in ports and harbors, specializing in cranes. As of 2007, it was the world's 14th largest crane manufacturer. The company is based in Dusseldorf, Germany and is a subsidiary of Demag Cranes AG.
    • In 2003, a company press release disclosed that Gottwald exported three mobile harbor cranes to the Iranian Ports and Shipping Organization. Gottwald maintains a sales and service center in Dubai which services Iran.

  • Palfinger

    • Palfinger is an Austrian manufacturer of cranes, hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems.
    • A Palfinger crane was used on May 26, 2011 in the public execution of an Iranian convict in Qazvin, Iran.

  • The Liebherr Group

    • The Liebherr Group is a large German-based equipment manufacturer specializing in cranes, aircraft parts, and mining, with 8.4 billion euros in revenue for 2008. It has a workforce of 32,091 and comprises more than 100 companies. It was the world's largest crane company as of 2007.
    • The Liebherr Group sold equipment in Iran through dealer Boron Marz Co (Liebherr). A company press release revealed that an "Iranian customer" purchased a total of 24 104-ton capacity cranes as of 2004 (Press Release). Shenavar Sazeh Pooyesh (SSP) acted as Liebherr's exclusive crane dealer in Iran, providing a variety of products, including marine and offshore cranes that have a wide application in the oil and gas industry. SSP stated on its website that its "major clients in Iran are shipbuilding industries, offshore industries and petrochemical plants."

  • Konecranes

    • Konecranes is a Finnish construction equipment company and "world-leading lifting equipment manufacturer serving manufacturing and process industries, nuclear industry, shipyards and harbors with productivity enhancing lifting solutions and services." In 2009, Konecranes had a sales total of 1.67 billion euros (Company Website). As of 2007, it was the world's 4th largest crane company.
    • Konecranes sold cranes through an Iranian dealer, Sepahan Lifter, which was listed on itscompany website. Konecranes owns an American crane company, Morris Materials. Hoist Magazine, a trade journal, reported that Morris sold crane kits to the Iran-based Arian Company, which generated $900,000 in sales in the year 2000 alone ("Morris Firms Relationships in Middle Eastern Region")

  • UNIC

    • UNIC is a Japanese hydraulic crane manufacturer specializing in truck mounted cranes and mini crawler cranes with a turnover of $485 million and over 60 overseas sales locations. They are owned by the Furukawa Group. As of 2007, they are the world's 16th largest crane manufacturer.
    • Recent photos show UNIC cranes being used in public hangings in Iran.

  • Tadano

    • Tadano is Japan's largest manufacturer of cranes and lifting equipment, and as of the 2007, was the world's 7th largest. Tadano manufactures all-terrain cranes, aerial work platforms, truck cranes, boom trucks, and other construction equipment. In 2010, Tadano had over $1 billion in net sales.
    • Tadano listed an Iranian subsidiary, IER Iran, on its website. IER Iran imported a wide variety of construction equipment, including Tadano cranes, into Iran.
    • An Iranian construction equipment importer, Part Loader Co, advertised on its website that it is “the only authorized dealer for sale of all type Tadano Cranes in Iran... Part Loader Co is determined to make Tadano the number one best seller crane in Iran.” Part Loader Co carried the Tadano trademark on its website but it was never referenced by Tadano’s own website.
    • Recent photos have shown Tadano cranes being used to hang Iranians in public executions.
    • According to USASPENDING.GOV, Tadano has been the recipient of $6.2 million in U.S. military contracts since 2000.

  • Terex Corporation

    • Terex Corporation ("Terex"), an American industrial equipment manufacturer based in Westport, Connecticut, does business with Iran through foreign subsidiaries. Terex is designated as the world's third largest construction equipment manufacturer following Caterpillar and Komatsu, which have both ended their Iran business in response to UANI campaigns.
    • In 2009, the SEC's Office of Global Security Risk initiated correspondence over concerns regarding Terex's sales to Iran, Syria, and Sudan. Terex admitted to sales to these countries via foreign subsidiaries totaling $11.8 million in 2008 but defended them as not "material to a reasonable investor." (SEC Correspondence, 7/17/09)
    • Terex brands formerly active in Iran include Terex Demag (Germany) Powerscreen (UK) and formerly Terex Atlas (Germany). Similar to Caterpillar and Komatsu, such industrial equipment is employed in Iran's oil and gas sector.
    • For example, the Iranian company RAMPCO (Engineering, Construction & Maintenance of Petrochemical Industries Co.), a player in the Iran oil and gas industry, listed two "Terex-Demag" cranes in its list of equipment (RAMPCO website. "Equipment"). RAMPCO was part of a consortium that constructed the Mehr Petrochemical Complex (Tehran Times, "Mehr Petrochemical Complex to be officially inaugurated," 6/24/09)
    • Additionally, the "Commercial Management" website of the National Iran Gas Company listed Terex Demag under its "foreign sourcing" section for the purchasing of cranes.
    • Terex is a major U.S. defense contractor and has received $300 million in U.S. contracts since 2000. (USASPENDING.gov)