UANI Commends Jumeirah Essex House for Refusing to Host Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2011
Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected]
Phone: (212) 554-3296   

 UANI Commends Jumeirah Essex House for Refusing to Host Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

New York, NY - On Wednesday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) commended the Jumeirah Essex House for agreeing not to house Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the U.N. General Assembly this month in New York City.

The Essex House recently informed UANI that it would not provide accommodations to Ahmadinejad, or his delegation.

Said UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace:

UANI commends Essex House for deciding not to host Ahmadinejad and his delegation this month. No Manhattan hotel should be providing accommodation to the leader of a murderous regime in pursuit of an illegal nuclear weapons program and in alliance with al-Qaeda.

If Ahmadinejad insists on coming to New York to spout his hateful rhetoric and conspiracy theories, he can stay in diplomatic accommodations at Iran's mission to the United Nations, not a luxurious hotel. UANI calls on all Manhattan hotels to follow the Essex House's responsible decision, including the Hilton Manhattan East, Grand Hyatt New York, InterContinental The Barclay, Millennium UN Plaza, and Warwick New York.

On August 16, The Daily Beast published an Op-Ed by UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, entitled "Hotels Should Ban Ahmadinejad." Given Ahmadinejad's statements denying 9/11 and the Iranian regime's covert alliance with Al Qaeda, Ambassador Wallace asked whether any Manhattan hotels could "honestly think it appropriate to provide accommodations to the leader of such a detestable government, specifically in the very city where the worst of 9/11 occurred?"

On July 21, UANI first called on New York City's hotels to deny accommodation to Ahmadinejad.

This is the third consecutive year that UANI is leading its Hotels Campaign. In previous years, UANI and its supporters have pressured multiple hotels to deny accommodations to Ahmadinejad and his delegation.

On September 23, 2009 the Essex House cancelled a scheduled dinner for Ahmadinejad following pressure from UANI.

Click here to learn more about UANI's Hotels Campaign.
Click here to read the UANI Hotels Op-Ed on The Daily Beast website.

###