C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 005137

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR ECON IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS
SUBJECT: SHI'A CLERIC FINDS NO LOVE FOR PRESIDENT
AHMADINEJAD ON RECENT TRIP TO IRAN


Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a December 8 meeting, Kuwaiti Shi'a cleric Sayed
Mohammed Baqer Al-Mohri told Emboffs he met "no one who was
happy" with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government during
his early-December trip to Iran. Al-Mohri said he met with
the head of the Higher Judiciary Council, a former Minister
of Interior, several Shi'a clerics in Tehran and Qom, two
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, and Kuwaiti Ambassador
to Iran Majdi Al-Thufiri, all of whom expressed
"disappointment" with Ahmadinejad. Al-Mohri claimed this
sentiment was shared by many Iranians and predicted mounting
opposition within the government to Ahmadinejad would lead to
his replacement "within six months" by a "moderate."


2. (C) Al-Mohri said he dismissed others' suggestion that he
meet with Ahmadinejad while in Iran, saying the President was
provincial and unsophisticated, ill-suited to the demands of
statesmanship. Al-Mohri said rising inflation contributed to
the country's worsening economy and undermined public support
for the President. He also claimed Iranians "disagreed" with
Ahmadinejad's controversial statements on Israel, though he
said they supported Iran's "peaceful" nuclear program as a
national right. According to Al-Mohri, Iran is "as
influential" in Iraq as the U.S., though he suggested Iran's
intentions were benign. Repeating advice he has given in
previous meetings, Al-Mohri encouraged greater USG dialogue
with the Iranian government.

Bio Note:
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3. (C) Al-Mohri is Secretary General of the Shi'a Clerics
Gathering, a conservative Shi'a political association, and
the self-appointed representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali
Al-SISTANI in Kuwait. He claims to have close connections to
many of Iran's top government officials, including former
presidents Sayed Mohammed Khatami and Ali Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani. Al-Mohri appears to be in his mid-sixties. He
speaks Arabic and Farsi fluently.

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