Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUBAI6327
2005-12-20 14:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Dubai
Cable title:
IRAN DENIES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON AHMADINEJAD
how-toVZCZCXRO1497 RR RUEHBC RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHDE #6327 3541419 ZNR UUUUU ZZH (544) R 201419Z DEC 05 FM AMCONSUL DUBAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7406 INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 1149 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0285 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS DUBAI 006327
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV IR ZP
SUBJECT: IRAN DENIES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON AHMADINEJAD
UNCLAS DUBAI 006327
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV IR ZP
SUBJECT: IRAN DENIES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON AHMADINEJAD
1. Iranian government spokesman Golamhoseyn Elham has denied
reports of a December 15 assassination attempt on Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He confirmed, however, that a
Revolutionary Guardsman -- identified by Iran Daily as
presidential bodyguard Hojjat Garmabdari -- and his driver, were
killed in an attack by bandits during Ahmadinejad's visit to
Zahedan. Elham claimed the attack was on a vehicle not part of
Ahmadinejad's motorcade and not in an area Ahmadinejad was to
approach at any time.
2. Contacts and news agencies have provided various accounts of
the attack, none of which can be confirmed:
-- An Iranian businessman told PolEconChief December 19 he heard
Ahmadinejad had switched cars shortly before the attack and
would normally have been in the targeted car. He heard all the
car's occupants were killed by bullet fire.
-- An "informed source" told Farda News the vehicle was
performing a security check on the route Ahmadinejad's motorcade
was to take, although the bandits were unaware of the victims
and only sought to steal the vehicle.
-- WorldNetDaily.com cites a Jomhuri-ye Islami report -- an
extremely conservative Tehran-based paper -- that at 6:50pm the
lead car in the presidential motorcade was ambushed by "armed
bandits and troublemakers," killing the driver and one of
Ahmadinejad's bodyguards. Ahmadinejad was not in the car at the
time.
3. COMMENT: The official denial raises questions as to why a
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV IR ZP
SUBJECT: IRAN DENIES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON AHMADINEJAD
1. Iranian government spokesman Golamhoseyn Elham has denied
reports of a December 15 assassination attempt on Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He confirmed, however, that a
Revolutionary Guardsman -- identified by Iran Daily as
presidential bodyguard Hojjat Garmabdari -- and his driver, were
killed in an attack by bandits during Ahmadinejad's visit to
Zahedan. Elham claimed the attack was on a vehicle not part of
Ahmadinejad's motorcade and not in an area Ahmadinejad was to
approach at any time.
2. Contacts and news agencies have provided various accounts of
the attack, none of which can be confirmed:
-- An Iranian businessman told PolEconChief December 19 he heard
Ahmadinejad had switched cars shortly before the attack and
would normally have been in the targeted car. He heard all the
car's occupants were killed by bullet fire.
-- An "informed source" told Farda News the vehicle was
performing a security check on the route Ahmadinejad's motorcade
was to take, although the bandits were unaware of the victims
and only sought to steal the vehicle.
-- WorldNetDaily.com cites a Jomhuri-ye Islami report -- an
extremely conservative Tehran-based paper -- that at 6:50pm the
lead car in the presidential motorcade was ambushed by "armed
bandits and troublemakers," killing the driver and one of
Ahmadinejad's bodyguards. Ahmadinejad was not in the car at the
time.
3. COMMENT: The official denial raises questions as to why a