IRAQ: IRAN WOULD ACCEPT UN-SANCTIONED WAR IN IRAQ,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000854 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR NEA AND EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS IR IT IRAQI FREEDOM NATO SUBJECT: IRAQ: IRAN WOULD ACCEPT UN-SANCTIONED WAR IN IRAQ, KHATEMI TELLS BERLUSCONI CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: IRAN WOULD NOT OBJECT TO MILITARY ACTION TO DEPOSE SADDAM -- PROVIDED IT IS UN-SANCTIONED, IRANIAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 00854 281620Z PRESIDENT KHATAMI HAS TOLD PM BERLUSCONI. KHATAMI'S VIEWS WERE DELIVERED TO BERLUSCONI BY HIS BROTHER, PARLIAMENTARY VP KHATAMI, IN A FEB. 26 MEETING. KHATAMI'S MESSAGE UNDERSCORES IRAN'S STRONG CONCERNS WITH "UNILATERAL" ACTION AGAINST SADDAM AND INSISTS THAT IRAN PLAY A ROLE IN POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION. KHATAMI'S VISIT, WHICH GENERATED LITTLE PRESS COVERAGE, ALSO FEATURED CALLS ON PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER PRESIDENT CASINI AND THE POPE. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) MFA GULF AFFAIRS OFFICE DIRECTOR PROVIDED US LATE FEB. 27 WITH AN ORAL SUMMARY OF THE OFFICIAL MESSAGE KHATAMI-FRERE HAD DELIVERED TO PM BERLUSCONI THE DAY BEFORE. IN ASKING FOR THE APPOINTMENT WITH BERLUSCONI, THE IRANIANS HAD MADE CLEAR THAT THE IRANIAN ENVOY WOULD BE BRINGING A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT KHATAMI. ¶3. (C) PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S MESSAGE INDICATED THAT: - IRAN WOULD BE AGREEABLE TO MILITARY ACTION TO DISARM SADDAM, PROVIDED IT OCCURRED UNDER AUSPICES OF A UN RESOLUTION. - HOWEVER, IRAN WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGERS TO REGIONAL STABILITY POSED BY DISARMAMENT ACCOMPLISHED VIA "UNILATERAL ACTION." UNILATERAL ACTION WOULD NEITHER CREATE A MORE STABLE IRAQ NOR RENDER THE REGION MORE SECURE. - IF SADDAM'S DISARMAMENT OCCURRED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UN, IRAN "WOULD NOT FAIL TO GIVE ITS CONSTRUCTIVE SUPPORT," ESPECIALLY REGARDING RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES. SUCH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 00854 281620Z ACTIVITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO OCCUR IN A CLIMATE OF TRUST AND COOPERATION WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. - IRAN WAS AWARE OF THE U.S. NEED TO MAKE SURE SADDAM DID NOT POSE A FUTURE THREAT; BUT IRAN NEEDED A GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM POSTWAR SCENARIOS. ¶4. (C) KHATAMI-FRERE ALSO INFORMED BERLUSCONI THAT HIS BROTHER PLANNED TO SEND VICE PRESIDENT NABAVEH(SP) TO BERLIN, PARIS AND ANKARA NEXT WEEK TO CONSULT AND PRESS IRAN'S VIEWS OF THE SITUATION. ¶5. (U) THE OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT INDICATED THAT KHATAMI HAD ALSO CONVEYED AN INVITATION FOR BERLUSCONI TO VISIT TEHRAN. IT ALSO ELLIPTICALLY NOTED IRAN'S HOPE THAT ITALY'S UPCOMING EU PRESIDENCY WOULD FURTHER IMPROVE IRANIAN-EU RELATIONS, INCLUDING STRONGER ECONOMIC TIES. ¶6. (SBU) KHATAMI STRESSED THE SAME ELEMENTS IN A SHORT MEETING WITH PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER PRESIDENT CASINI FEB. 27, EMPHASIZING IRAN'S CONCERN OVER THE POTENTIAL OF UNILATERAL U.S. MILITARY ACTION TO DESTABILIZE THE BROADER REGION AND URGING A GREATER FOCUS ON THE POST-WAR SITUATION, ACCORDING TO CASINI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR. IN RESPONSE, CASINI URGED IRAN TO PURSUE A MODERATE LINE ON ANY POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION; HE ALSO PRESSED KHATAMI TO STOP SUPPORTING HEZBOLLAH AND SIMILAR TERROR GROUPS AND TO CURTAIL ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMS. KHATAMI REPORTEDLY ALSO CALLED ON THE POPE FEB. 27. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 00854 281620Z CONFIDENTIAL > 2003ROME00854 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL