FRANCE SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON IRANIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000408 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ IR FR SUBJECT: FRANCE SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON IRANIAN INTERFERENCE IN IRAQ REF: STATE 11081 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso ns 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) We delivered reftel demarche January 19 to MFA DAS-equivalent for the Middle East Antoine Sivan, leaving talking points as a nonpaper. We asked that France urge Tehran not to interfere in Iraq's domestic affairs, particularly in the run-up to and aftermath of the January 30 elections. Sivan said that France shared U.S. concerns about Iranian interference and has consistently conveyed these concerns to the Iranians, urging restraint. He said that France would continue to underscore these points with the Iranians, although he made no commitment to a new demarche immediately before or after the elections in Iraq. Wolff