IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TELLS GOI IRAN WOULDN'T MIND

S E C R E T ROME 001100

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR NEA AND EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2013
TAGS: PREL IR IT IZ IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TELLS GOI IRAN WOULDN'T MIND
SEEING SADDAM GO

REF: ROME 854

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON. REASON:1.5 (B)(D)

(S) DURING COURSE OF DISCUSSION ON OTHER TOPICS, PRIME
MINISTER BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, AMBASSADOR GIOVANNI
CASTELLANETA, PROVIDED DCM WITH BRIEF READOUT OF HIS EARLY
MARCH MEETING WITH IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ITALY BAHRAM
GHASEMI. THE MEETING TOOK PLACE AT GHASEMI'S REQUEST, IN
CASTELLANETA'S OFFICE.

(S) GHASEMI TOLD CASTELLANETA THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS
CONVINCED THE USG HAD ALREADY DECIDED TO ATTACK IRAQ, BUT
WOULD NOT DO SO UNTIL AFTER THE SHIA HOLY DAY OF ASHURA ON 16
MARCH (SIC -- OUR CALENDAR SHOWS ASHURA ON THE 14TH).
GHASEMI SAID THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T MIND SEEING
SADDAM DEPART THE SCENE, BUT HAD TWO RED LINES FOR ANY
USG-LED MILITARY ACTION. FIRST, IRAN COULD NOT BE PERCEIVED
AS COOPERATING WITH THE U.S. SECOND, THE MOJAHEDIN-E KHALG
(MEK) WOULD HAVE TO BE RESTRAINED AND COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO
EXPLOIT THE SITUATION TO ATTACK IRAN. GHASEMI ALSO SAID THAT
A FEW WEEKS PREVIOUSLY THE IRAQI FORMIN HAD VISITED TEHERAN
WITH AN OFFER TO SHUT DOWN THE MEK IF TEHERAN AGREED TO
COOPERATE WITH BAGHDAD AGAINST U.S. AGGRESSION. THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT TURNED DOWN THE OFFER.

(S) CASTELLANETA TOLD DCM THAT GHASEMI HAD GIVEN NO
INDICATION WHETHER HE WAS SPEAKING PRIVATELY OR ON
INSTRUCTIONS. CASTELLANETA ALSO SAID THAT HE TOOK THE
OCCASION TO STRESS TO THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR THE NEED FOR
DEMOCRATIC REFORMS WITHIN IRAN AND TO REPEAT ITALIAN CONCERNS
ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BUT RECEIVED ONLY THE STANDARD
IRANIAN ANSWERS TO BOTH ISSUES.
SEMBLER

NNNN
2003ROME01100 - Classification: SECRET