In Case You Missed It: "This Campaign Has The Potential To Force Action"

In Case You Missed It: "This Campaign Has The Potential To Force Action"
UANI's SWIFT Campaign Highlighted in Today'sNew York Times

Iran Praises Nuclear Talks With Team From U.N.

By Rick Gladstone
The New York Times
January 31, 2012

Iran said Tuesday that a team of United Nations nuclear inspectors visiting since the weekend had concluded "constructive and positive" talks with Iranian officials, with further discussions planned at an unspecified date. ...

... In a sign that the sanctions could tighten further, United Against Nuclear Iran, a New York-based advocacy group that has successfully promoted other economic penalties against Iran, said it had started a campaign to publicize Iran's dependence on the global financial telecommunication network that nearly every financial institution uses to conduct business.

On Monday the group sent a letter to the network, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as Swift, warning it to end all relations with Iran's central bank and "deny access to all Iranian banks." The letter asserted that Iran's membership in the network already violated American and European financial sanctions as well as Swift's own rules.

There was no immediate comment to the letter from either Iran or Swift, which is headquartered in Belgium.

Mark D. Wallace, president of United Against Nuclear Iran, said in a telephone interview that the group might seek Congressional hearings on Iran's Swift membership, which he described as crucial to the country's economic survival.

"This campaign has the potential to force action," Mr. Wallace said. "In some ways it's a silver bullet. If the Iranians don't have access to Swift, they can't get access to revenue."

Click here to learn about UANI's SWIFT campaign.
Click here to send a message to SWIFT.

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