McCormick stopping spice sales to Iran

US spice giant agrees to stop selling to Iran after petition by Baltimore Jewish activists; McCormick distributes spices to 100 countries.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Spices 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Spices 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
American Spice giant McCormick has agreed to stop selling spices to Iran following a request by a Baltimore Jewish activist.
According to the Baltimore Jewish News, attorney Jay Bernstein read in a New York Times article that the US Treasury was still allocating licenses to local companies to conduct business with Tehran despite the fact that the US sanctions the Islamic Republic.
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Among those companies, spice company McCromick was founded in Bernstein’s home town in 1889 by a Jewish immigrant.
“It seemed that what we could do is draw attention to McCormick and get them to reconsider,” Bernstein was quoted by the Jewish News as saying.
Bernstein wrote to officials in the company and shortly thereafter received word that McCormick would “cease such sales as long as Iran is subject to the comprehensive sanctions programs imposed by the US government.”
“Is it going to bring down a regime? No,” Bernstein told the Baltimore paper.
“But McCormick showed a great example of corporate responsibility. And if more companies did what they are doing, the regime in Iran would feel more pressure. It’s gratifying that they were responsive.”