Whoever said city public advocate was a punchless public post?
Bill de Blasio (photo), the current occupant of the sometimes-maligned elected office, said Thursday that one of the automakers on his new Iran “watchlist” — Hyundai — announced it would stop doing business in the nuke-hungry country.
De Blasio’s website, which was reported exclusively by the Daily News in Thursday’s editions, allows users to send social-media messages to pressure carmakers that turn a profit in Iran and also have a large market share in the U.S. He wants the companies to be forced to choose between America or a nation that has been secretive about a nuclear program many diplomats suspect is geared toward making nukes.
De Blasio, who held a press conference about the site Thursday, said Hyundai was in talks to end sales of new cars in Iran before the watchlist hit the Web.
“I’m hoping, of course, that the fact we were about to do something very public added an extra piece of encouragement,” said the likely mayoral candidate. “The fact is that this point is registering strongly in the corporate world.”
Former U.S. Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, applauded Hyundai for the decision, which his organization helped facilitate.
“Hyundai has announced it’s ending its business in Iran,” Wallace said at the press conference. “We’ve had extensive discussions with Hyundai over the last year. This is a very significant step by Hyundai and we applaud their action.”
The list can be viewed online at www.Iranwatchlist.com.
