UANI, California Groups, Call on Los Angeles Mayoral Candidates to Commit to Barring Shippers Active in Iran from Port of Los Angeles

UANI, California Groups, Call on Los Angeles Mayoral Candidates to Commit to Barring Shippers Active in Iran from Port of Los Angeles

New York, NY - On Thursday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) was joined by California coalition partners in calling on the two Los Angeles Mayoral candidates, Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel, to commit to barring shippers active in Iran from accessing the Port of Los Angeles.  

UANI joined the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Sinai Temple, Beth Jacob Congregation, Young Israel of Century City, University Synagogue, 30 Years After, and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Dennis Prager in writing to the two candidates, and asking for their support in this cause.

UANI launched its Ports Authority Campaign last month, calling on North American ports to deny docking privileges to shipping companies that operate in Iran. At the Port of Los Angeles, shipping companies such as Hong Kong's OOCL, Taiwan's Yang Ming, and France's CMA CGM use the port while at the same time accessing ports in Iran.

Now, UANI is asking Councilman Garcetti and Controller Greuel to support the campaign by, if elected Mayor, working with the Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners to implement such a policy, and appointing individuals who support it to the Commission.

In separate letters sent to Councilman Garcetti and Controller Greuel, UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, and leaders of the aforementioned organizations wrote:

... The next mayor has an opportunity to put pressure on Iran to curtail its nuclear program by closing the Port of Los Angeles to any ships that have docked in Iran, have offices in Iran, or import and export into and out of Iran (with exceptions on humanitarian grounds).  Ocean transportation is critical for the import of raw materials required for Iran's nuclear program. Cutting off access to these raw materials would hamper Tehran's nuclear drive.

            Several of the world's leading shipping lines routinely operate in Iranian ports and continue to do business with the Port of Los Angeles. This is contrary to the spirit of U.S. sanctions and President Obama's policy, and it needs to be stopped.  The National Defense Authorization Act, signed by President Obama in January, contains a provision that authorizes sanctions against any person who knowingly supports activity benefiting port operators in Iran.

            In the 2010 Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, Congress explicitly invited state and local governments and agencies to assist with the implementation of federal sanctions policy. Thus, local governments and port authorities can take action to ensure that ports under their control effectively bar shippers that make port calls at Iranian ports.

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            The undersigned ask for your commitment to ban all shippers docking at Iranian ports, operating offices in Iran, or importing and exporting into and out of Iran by: 1) confirming that this your policy; 2) asking the Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners to implement this policy and 3) only appointing individuals who support your policy to the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. ...  

In a March 15, 2013 Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, "Closing U.S. Ports to Iran-Tainted Shipping," Ambassador Wallace wrote that "America's port authorities should deny docking privileges to shipping companies that continue to operate in Iran. All shippers should be presented with a clear choice: Stop doing business in Iran, or stop doing business with the U.S."

UANI has frequently highlighted the shipping industry as an area where the international community can further pressure Iran. In a 2012 Journal Op-Ed, six UANI board members wrote that "the world must deny Iran's access to international shipping, a move that would severely affect the regime given its dependence on global trade and seaborne crude oil exports."

Last year, all thirteen of the world's major classification societies stopped certifying Iranian vessels following UANI's campaign, including Bureau Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, the Korean Register of Shipping, the China Classification Society, and ClassNK. UANI has also announced that Barbados, Hong Kong, Moldova and Mongolia have stopped their reflagging of Iranian vessels.

Click here to read the UANI's Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, "Closing U.S. Ports to Iran-Tainted Shipping."
Click here to use UANI's interactive Ports Authority Database and send messages to relevant port authorities.
Click here to learn more about UANI's Shipping Campaign.   

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