Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Supports Canada's Position on P5+1 Deal With Iran

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 25, 2013) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) fully supports the government of Canada's decision to maintain sanctions against Iran until "unfettered access" to all Iranian nuclear facilities is achieved and verifiable implementation of the deal has been attained.

"This deal is a 'Munich Moment' based on little more than the wishes and fantasies of western leaders, who have willingly succumbed to the more moderate speech of Iran's new President, Hassan Rouhani, while turning a blind eye to the country's deep-rooted antipathy towards the west and a determination to achieve nuclear weapon status," said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. "In allowing Iran to buy time to reach its nuclear goals, they have also empowered one of the world's foremost exporters of terrorism and made the Middle East, and indeed the entire planet, a much more dangerous place."

According to the statement by Foreign Minister John Baird's office, "Effective sanctions have brought the regime to present a more moderate front and open the door to negotiations. Today's deal cannot be abused or undermined by deception. The Iranian people deserve the freedom and prosperity that they have been denied for too long by the regime's nuclear ambitions. Until then, Canadian sanctions will remain tough, and in full force."

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is a leading non-profit human rights organization directly representing over 30,000 Canadian members. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and education. Through its affiliation with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the organization has won two Academy Awards, has two Museums of Tolerances (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is represented at the United Nations and the OSCE. FSWC runs a diverse number of educational programs, including Freedom Day, Speakers Idol and the Tour4Humanity.