UANI-ISD Initiative

The UANI-ISD Initiative is an unprecedented transatlantic partnership dedicated to combating the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. By partnering together, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and ISD combine the knowledge and experience of over 30 outstanding leaders from North America and Europe with significant expertise in the areas of foreign policy and nuclear non-proliferation. UANI and ISD’s combined expertise and capabilities will strengthen efforts to highlight the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran throughout the U.S. and Europe.  The partnership will also greatly expand and enhance efforts at European grassroots, legislative and regulatory activism. 

The UANI-ISD Initiative works towards implementing the most robust sanctions regime against Iran in history as a means for conflict resolution.  The UANI-ISD Initiative recognises the international sanctions regime as an indispensable part of any international negotiation process. There is growing evidence that international sanctions are having a profound impact on Iran. Yet, more must be done to ensure that the global community imposes the most comprehensive sanctions against Iran in history. Now, more than ever, concerted efforts are necessary to compel Iran to change course and rebuild international confidence.

The UANI-ISD Initiative is focused on raising awareness of and countering Iranian nuclear proliferation, state sponsorship of terrorism and human rights abuses, in particular, by seeking to enhance and to bolster compliance with the international sanctions regime.

Aims of the UANI-ISD Initiative:

• Identify and advocate regulatory and legislative measures designed to implement a robust and comprehensive sanctions regime against Iran, as a means for conflict resolution.
• Implement country-by-country awareness and educational campaigns designed to compel key private sector business to end their work in Iran as a way of furthering the efficacy of UN, U.S. and European sanctions and encouraging the Iranian government to resolve its conflicts with the international community over its nuclear program.
• Increase the prominence of Iranian issues on government agendas and among the general public concerning the threat to international security poised by Iranian nuclear proliferation, state sponsorship of terrorism and human rights abuses.
• Raise public awareness across Europe of the danger and threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, a regional arms race and of the need to counter state sponsorship of terrorism and human rights abuses through the implementation of a focused media and communications strategy.

Ambassador Kristen Silverberg, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, serves as UANI President, overseeing its European operations. Dr August Hanning, former State Secretary in the Federal Interior Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany in Berlin and former President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) of Germany, is the Senior European Advisor to the UANI-ISD Initiative. ISD's Europe in the World Programme Director, Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, is in charge of the day-to-day running of the initiative.

Click here to read profiles of members of the Initiative's Advisory Board.

Click here to read testimony by Ambassador Mark Wallace, CEO, United Against Nuclear Iran, on 17 May 2012, to the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the topic of 'Iran Sanctions: Strategy, Implementation, and Enforcement'.

Click here to read press coverage of the initiative.