EU SUMMIT TO ISSUE TOUGH MESSAGE TO IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004121 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2016 TAGS: EUN IR KDEM PGOV PREL SUBJECT: EU SUMMIT TO ISSUE TOUGH MESSAGE TO IRAN REF: SECSTATE 193403 Classified By: Polmincouns Laurence Wohlers for reasons 1.5 (d) and (e) . ¶1. EU Foreign Ministers will prepare a tough declaration on Iran and the Middle East for European leaders to approve at their December 15 summit in Brussels, according to Jesper Hostrup, Principal Administrator and Iran Coordinator in the European Commission,s Directorate General for External Relations. The EU has not decided yet whether it will issue a separate statement in reaction to Iranian elections to be held the same day. Poloff discussed the upcoming next steps on Iran with Hostrup on December 13 and provided response below to reftel points. ¶2. European Council: At their December 11 meeting in Brussels, EU-25 FMs decided to delay extensive discussion of Iran and the Middle East until their meeting on December 14 in preparation for the EU Council on December 15. According to Hostrup, the draft Council declaration which must first pass muster with EU FMs before approval by EU leaders is &highly critical8 in tone. According to a friendly EU member state contact, some member states support a separate declaration on Iran, but Spain, Italy, and Greece claimed this would be too provocative. The draft text deplores Iran,s failure to take steps recommended by the IAEA, continues to support a negotiated solution. The UK will push for an opening paragraph setting the situation in the context of Iran,s negative influence on a range of issues. The debate on the text will center on how tough and broad the message will be. Separately, Hestrup noted that, not surprisingly, Iranian President Ahmedinejad,s personal embrace of a Holocaust denial conference in Tehran has provoked outrage among senior European officials, including Commissioner Frattini who passionately rebuked Ahmedinejad in comments to the press. ¶3. Iranian Elections: Hostrup said Iran-watchers here expected no surprises, but that the EU would assess the actual results and conduct of the elections before reacting publicly. Although the election outcome would not change the facts on the ground, Hostrup opined that their conduct provided an opportunity to &take the temperature8 of the Iranian public toward the regime. As for the Assembly of Experts elections, should Rafsanjani come out on top, it would come as a huge surprise. Our Commission contact promised to stay in close touch on the issue. .