UANI, de Blasio, Iran180 Condemn Maserati and Lamborghini for Doing Business in Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2012
Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected]
Phone: (212) 554-3296

UANI, de Blasio, Iran180 Condemn Maserati and Lamborghini for Doing Business in Iran

New York, NY - On Monday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, joined New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Iran180 in calling on Maserati and Lamborghini to end all business activities in Iran.

At a press conference in front of Maserati's Manhattan showroom today, Wallace, de Blasio, and Iran180 Executive Director Chris DeVito announced the addition of Maserati and Lamborghini to the Iran Watch List (www.IranWatchList.com), given that the two have entered into import agreements in Iran, refused to renounce their Iranian ties, and--in the case of Maserati, which is owned by Fiat--touted the opening of a new dealership in Tehran.

IranWatchList.com is a joint project by de Blasio, UANI, and Iran180 that mobilizes consumers to pressure companies doing business with the Iranian regime.

Responding to a question from the press, Ambassador Wallace confirmed that Kia has pulled out of Iran. UANI has updated its Auto Campaign webpage to reflect this development.

Said Ambassador Wallace:

Porsche, Hyundai, and now Kia, [have pulled] out of Iran. ... [For] Maserati to end its business in Iran, [would send] a message directly to the regime elites. They must choose between a functioning economy and a nuclear weapon.

Said de Blasio:

We've had some success convincing companies to move out of Iran but, shockingly, Maserati is going in the opposite direction. We identified both Maserati and Lamborghini as two companies actually having increased their role in Iran.

Said DeVito:

I hope that I'm reading news in the next couple weeks about a Maserati dealership closing. I hope it's in Tehran but if it's not, I hope it's here in New York.

Kia joins Hyundai and Porsche in pulling out of Iran this year. In May, Ambassador Wallace testified about Iran's automotive industry before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Also in May, Fiat announced an end to some of its business in Iran, but has not taken the step of closing the Tehran Maserati dealership.

UANI has developed model legislation, the DRIVE Act, to require 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 the implementation of any agreement with Iranian entities in order to be eligible for U.S. government contracts or financial assistance.

Click here to visit IranWatchList.com.
Click here to visit UANI's Auto Campaign page.
Click here to read UANI's DRIVE Act legislation.

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