UANI Calls on Sweden's Stoc Holding to End Business with Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2013  Contact: Nathan Carleton, press@uani.com  Phone: (212) 554-3296   UANI Calls on Sweden's Stoc Holding to End Business with Iran UANI's MINERVA System Monitoring Iran Activities of Stoc Holding Vessel  New York, NY - On Thursday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Sweden's Stoc Holding AB to explain and cease its business to and from Iran. Stoc Holding controls a vessel, called the "Persia," that appears to operate a dedicated route in support of Iran's petrochemical industry. Stoc Holding openly advertises its ties to sanctioned Iranian entities on the front page of its website. In 2012, the EU prohibited EU entities "to transport crude oil or petroleum products if they originate in Iran, or are being exported from Iran to any other country." UANI recently launched its Maritime Intelligence Network and Rogue Vessel Analysis (MINERVA) system, to provide real-time tracking and course prediction for Iranian and Iran-related vessels. As reported in The New York Times, MINERVA's unique capabilities allow UANI to monitor such vessels, and take relevant action to halt illegal Iran-sponsored shipping schemes. In a letter to Stoc Holding CEO Bo Andersson, UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, wrote: ... Stoc Holding appears to be involved in a regular and dedicated tanker route in support of Iran's sanctioned petrochemical industry. Specifically, UANI has been monitoring the activities of the "Persia", a tanker operated and managed by Stoc Holding subsidiary Stoc Tankers AB, and owned by Stoc Tankers AB subsidiary Lanautique Shipping Co Ltd. The "Persia" appears to be one of the most active non-Iranian vessels frequenting Iran's petrochemical facilitates at Bandar Imam Khomenei, Lavan Island and the port of Chah Bahar, Iran. The "Persia", also appears to operate a regular and dedicated route between these Iranian facilities. In addition, UANI is highly concerned that petrochemical deliveries made by the "Persia" to Chah Bahar may risk providing support for Islamic Republic of Iran Navy ("IRIN") forces operating out of the nearby port of Konarak and Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ("IRIAF") forces operating out of the nearby Chah Bahar/Konarak Aerodrome. Moreover, UANI is concerned that P&I coverage for the "Persia" is provided by Kish P&I, the Iranian regime's fraudulent P&I club that operates as part of a larger scheme to fraudulently classify and insure vessels working for Iran. Simply put, Stoc Holding appears to be profiting from its involvement in the Iranian regime's schemes to prop up its sanctioned petrochemical and shipping sectors. Such involvement is also exposing Stoc Holding to the risk that its services are providing support for Iran's military forces. Sweden-based Stoc Holding should also be aware of EU sanctions leveled against entities facilitating Iran's access to the international shipping industry and transport of Iranian petrochemical products. For instance, in 2012 the EU prohibited EU entities "to transport crude oil or petroleum products if they originate in Iran, or are being exported from Iran to any other country." In light of the "Persia's" ongoing activities, UANI will be calling on its allies in the EU to investigate Stoc Holding's apparent violation of EU sanctions. ... UANI has long highlighted the shipping industry as an area where the international community can further pressure Iran. In a 2012 Wall Street 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, Korean Register of Shipping, China Classification Society, and ClassNK. UANI has also announced that Barbados, Hong Kong, Moldova and Mongolia have stopped their reflagging of Iranian vessels. UANI has requested a reply from Stoc Holding by July 27, 2013. Click here to read UANI's full letter to Stoc Holding. Click here to learn more about MINERVA, and view examples of illicit Iranian shipping schemes. Click here to read The New York Times article, "Group Keeps Long-Distance Watch on Iran and Possible Sanction Violations." Click here to learn more about UANI's Shipping Campaign. ###    United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran should concern every American and be unacceptable to the community of nations. Since 1979 the Iranian regime, most recently under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, has demonstrated increasingly threatening behavior and rhetoric toward the US and the West. Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations in their attempts to monitor its nuclear activities. A number of Arab states have warned that Iran's development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to Middle East stability and could provoke a regional nuclear arms race. In short, the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran is a danger to world peace. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons.  UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons. The Objectives of United Against a Nuclear Iran Inform the public about the nature of the Iranian regime, including its desire and intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran's role as a state sponsor of global terrorism, and a major violator of human rights at home and abroad; Heighten awareness nationally and internationally about the danger that a nuclear armed Iran poses to the region and the world; Mobilize public support, utilize media outreach, and persuade our elected leaders to voice a robust and united American opposition to a nuclear Iran; Lay the groundwork for effective US policies in coordination with European and other allies; Persuade the regime in Tehran to desist from its quest for nuclear weapons, while striving not to punish the Iranian people, and; Promote efforts that focus on vigorous national and international, social, economic, political and diplomatic measures. UANI is led by an advisory board of outstanding national figures representing all sectors of our country.

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