UANI Calls on GM to End Partnership with Peugeot, Given New Auto Figures Showing that Peugeot Cars are Still being Produced in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2013
Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected] 
Phone: (212) 554-3296

UANI Calls on GM to End Partnership with Peugeot, Given New Auto Figures Showing that Peugeot Cars are Still being Produced in Iran

New York, NY - On Tuesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued the following statement regarding newly-released Iranian auto figures, which show that tens of thousands of Peugeot-branded vehicles are still being produced in Iran, including 203,639 during the Persian calendar year that ended March 20, and 16,680 in the most recent month alone:

Once again, we see evidence that GM's partner Peugeot continues to do business in Iran, despite claims by GM and Peugeot that such business has been suspended. This is wholly unacceptable: last month, GM contacted UANI, and stated that "to our knowledge, Peugeot is not doing business in or with Iran."

Given industry data from Iran that shows otherwise, GM must stop the excuses and either take action to end Peugeot's business in Iran, or terminate the GM-Peugeot relationship. The GM-Peugeot partnership is especially troubling considering the taxpayer-funded $50 billion bailout of GM and the fact that the U.S. government still owns 241.7 million shares of GM stock.

Peugeot has not ended its business in Iran: thousands of its vehicles are still being produced there each month by Iranian state-controlled enterprises. GM, which is currently co-owned by U.S. taxpayers, cannot continue to financially partner with a company aligned with a regime that is illegally building nuclear weapons, sponsoring terrorists, and killing U.S. troops.

Last month, GM's Senior Vice President and General Counsel contacted UANI, and stated that:

The media statements we have made regarding Peugeot's business activities in Iran are based on what we have been told by Peugeot. Based on the information we have, we do not consider the statements to be inaccurate, as you have characterized them. We consider them to be an accurate characterization of the information we have received from Peugeot on the matter.

UANI has been calling on GM and Peugeot to leave Iran since launching the Auto Campaign in March 2012. Since then, UANI has announced the withdrawals of Hyundai, Fiat, Maserati, Lamborghini,Porsche, and Kia.

On June 13, 2012, the Detroit News printed an Op-Ed by Ambassador Wallace, "Why is U.S.-owned GM partnering with company that does business with Iran?,"

"The GM-Peugeot partnership seems to run afoul of U.S. sanctions," wrote Ambassador Wallace, "and it should be investigated." He called on GM and Peugeot "to take the responsible action of evaluating Peugeot's business in Iran, and putting a complete and final end to it."

Last year, Ambassador Wallace testified about Iran's automotive industry before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Ambassador Wallace stated to Congress that: "Peugeot right now is a major actor in Iran, a major manufacturer inside Iran in direct partnership with the IRGC."

UANI has developed model legislation, the DRIVE Act, to force auto manufacturers to choose between American taxpayers and the regime. The DRIVE Act requires automakers to certify they are not engaged in any business in Iran, or engaged in the implementation of any agreement with Iranian entities in order to be eligible for U.S. government contracts or financial assistance.

Click here to view the latest Iranian auto figures.
Click here to send a message to Peugeot and GM.
Click here to read Ambassador Wallace's Detroit News Op-Ed, "Why is U.S.-owned GM partnering with company that does business with Iran?"
Click here to read the Daily Caller Op-Ed by UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, and Congressman Tim Griffin: "The US can do more to pressure auto companies to sever ties with Iran."
Click here to read UANI's March 9, 2012 letter to GM.
Click here to visit UANI's Auto Campaign page.
Click here to read UANI's DRIVE Act legislation.

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