Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is launching a new watchlist on Thursday, but this time he is taking a foreign-policy approach, the Daily News has learned.
Building off of an effort to target bad landlords, he’s now going after Iran’s nuke-hungry regime and companies that do business there.
The website — Iran Watchlist — exposes automakers that make a profit in Iran and also have a large market share in the U.S., the mayoral hopeful said.
“We are targeting companies with a undeniable track record of doing business in Iran but who also rely on the U.S. market,” de Blasio said. “It’s time they made a choice.”
His website lists the following foreign car companies as turning a profit in Iran: Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Peugeot, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Fiat, Porsche, Mazda, Renault and Volvo.
The site offers a portal through which consumers can post on the companies’ Facebook or Twitter pages to demand they stop doing business in Iran.
“It’s past time to end your operations in Iran,” the automatic post says. “If you want to earn my business in the future, you need to #canIran!”
The U.S. and other nations have recently imposed sanctions against Iran in an attempt to pressure the country into ending a nuclear program that American officials suspect is geared toward producing atomic weapons; Iran insists it is for energy production. Iran’s leaders have previously stated a desire to wipe Israel, an American ally, off of the map.
“No car company wants to be labeled a supporter of a nuclear Iran,” de Blasio said. “This is about our own national security.”
De Blasio is launching the campaign with Iran 180 and United Against Nuclear Iran – two groups opposed to Iran developing nuclear weaponry.
Former U.S. Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, said the car companies are putting short-term profit ahead of long-term strategic interests.
“All these companies sell products in the United States,” he said. “You should choose between doing business with us or with Iran.”
The 5 largest foreign automakers operating in Iran, in terms of sales, according to 2010 production numbers:
1. Peugeot – 510,167 vehicles
2. Renault – 51,675 vehicles
3. Mazda – 36,891 vehicles
4. Kia – 19,298 vehicles
5. Isuzo – 14,121 vehicles
tmoore@nydailynews.com
