Public Advocate Bill de Blasio today announced the launch of a consumer action campaign to pressure companies to stop doing business in Iran. The campaign is backed by Iran180 and United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), and will mobilize consumers through an interactive website at IranWatchList.com. The campaign’s first targets are 12 foreign carmakers that despite economic sanctions continue to sell vehicles in Iran—including some that sell to Iran’s military. Many of these companies will exhibit at the New York Auto Show beginning next week.

“No other city in the country is a greater target for terrorism than New York, and our safety depends on bringing every bit of pressure we can muster against Iran’s regime. Every company we convince to take its business elsewhere turns up the heat and undermines Iran’s push to get nuclear weapons,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. “None of these companies would ever choose the Iranian regime over the American consumer—that’s the choice we need to force on any company that does business in Iran.”

“The Public Advocate has done a great service by highlighting these car companies that are active in Iran’s market—some which even supply vehicles to Iran’s military,” said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace. “America’s consumers will always choose a car produced by a responsible automaker to one made by a company that brazenly does business with the brutal Iranian regime.”

“We hope that all New Yorkers will use this tool to let companies know that doing business with a regime that abuses its own people, and ignores international opinion on its nuclear program, cannot continue,” said Chris DeVito, Executive Director of Iran180.

“By overwhelming numbers, polls show that the American people understand the immediacy of the threat posed by Iran to the United States and its allies. But they do not know how to give practical expression to their concerns,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “The consumer action campaign launched by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio will enable citizens and elected officials alike to educate and motivate companies to stop doing business with Iran until they truly end their nuclear weapons program and their state sponsorship of global terrorism. This will complement the international campaign of economic sanctions. Targeting 12 auto manufacturers that sell hundreds of thousands of cars to Iran yearly will send a strong message, and, hopefully, will be replicated across the United States.”

“By allowing New Yorkers to make informed decisions, the Public Advocate is helping to empower people in the effort to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and curb the continuing mistreatment of its citizenry,” said Michael Miller, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

The 12 automakers displayed in the Iran Watch List website’s “Virtual Showroom” are Fiat, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Suzuki, Toyota and Volvo. Combined, they sell more than 650,000 vehicles per year in the country—making it the second-largest sector of Iran’s economy. Despite escalating sanctions, the automotive sector in Iran remains fast-growing because of these companies’ investments. Consumers can use the Watch List to directly pressure companies though social media, including Facebook and Twitter.

Join the campaign at www.iranwatchlist.com

(YWN Desk – NYC)