Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUBAI3263
2006-05-30 12:51:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Consulate Dubai
Cable title:  

LOBBYING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER

Tags:  PGOV PREL IR PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1354
PP RUEHBC RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHDE #3263/01 1501251
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P R 301251Z MAY 06
FM AMCONSUL DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1004
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3961
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 003263 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/30/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL IR PHUM
SUBJECT: LOBBYING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER
JAHANBEGLOO


DUBAI 00003263 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jason L Davis, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 003263

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/30/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL IR PHUM
SUBJECT: LOBBYING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER
JAHANBEGLOO


DUBAI 00003263 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jason L Davis, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1.(C) Summary: An Iranian-American contact heard from a reliable
source in mid-May that Iranian intellectual Ramin Jahanbegloo
was arrested about two weeks earlier for comments he gave in an
interview attacking the supreme leader, and the Iranian
government wants to send the message that this is a red line.
At that time, Adeli predicted Jahanbegloo would be released
soon, but there has been no change in his case to date. Two
longtime contacts described to PolEconChief their ongoing
efforts to lobby the Iranian government for Jahanbegloo's
release, and the second story corroborated the first. The
second contact advocates behind the scenes US pressure on Iran.
End summary.

Reports From Various Sources
--------------

2.(S/NF) In mid-May, a contact told PolEconChief by email that
he had heard from former Iranian ambassador to the UK Mohammad
Hossein Adeli that Canadian-Iranian intellectual Ramin
Jahanbegloo had been arrested some time in late April in Iran
because he verbally attacked the supreme leader in a press
interview. Adeli claimed the Iranian government wants to send
the message that this is a red line. At that time, Adeli
predicted Jahanbegloo would be released soon, but to date, there
has been no change in his case. Iranian press reports have
speculated on possible charges as serious as espionage.

3.(S/NF) Nasser Hadian (please protect),an Iranian political
analyst and Tehran University political science professor who
recently spent three years at Columbia University told
PolEconChief by phone later in May that he is trying very hard
to help Jahanbegloo. He said he gave a letter from
Jahangegloo's wife to the deputy secretary of the Supreme
Council for National Security (possibly Ali Monfared),who told
Hadian to have her call him. Hadian described Jahanbegloo as
not a "political person," who was arrested "for nothing."

4.(S/NF) In a subsequent meeting May 29 with Iranian political
analyst Bijan Khajehpour (please protect),Khajehpour described

his and others' efforts to lobby the government for
Jahanbegloo's release and confirmed Hadian's intervention at the
level of the Supreme Council of National Security (SCNS).

Lobbying, Iranian Style
--------------

5.(S/NF) Khajehpour confirmed that Hadian raised the case to the
level of the SCNS, saying Hadian had conveyed to SCNS Secretary
Larijani that this is an unjust case that could blow up in
Iran's face. Larijani purportedly later told Jahanbegloo's wife
that "we are grateful for your modesty," meaning her
unwillingness to make the case public.

6.(S/NF) Khajehpour said he had prepared a note outlining
possible negative consequences the case could bring Iran, which
he heard had been distributed within the government. He and
"many" others have approached Judiciary Chief Shahrudi and
Minister of Interior Pourmohammadi on Jahanbegloo's behalf.
Majles Speaker Hadad-Adel, who used to work with Jahanbegloo's
father, has also been pushing for Jahanbegloo's release, and
Jahanbegloo's wife met with former President Khatami.
Khajehpour also approached the head of the new office to
investigate corruption, called the Bureau of Investment
Security.

No Charges Yet
--------------

7.(S/NF) Khajepour said that nothing was known so far about
Jahanbegloo's case. Jahanbegloo had been on his way to meet
with EU High Representative Solana's staff in Belgium, possibly
for an Iran-related scenario exercise, when he was arrested at
the airport. (Note: Khajepour mentioned it was common practice
in Iran to arrest someone at the airport for an outbound flight.
end note) His wife is able to talk to her husband daily but has
learned nothing about his case, which Khajehpour said makes it
harder for everyone to try to fight back. Hadad-Adel was told
by intelligence that Jahanbegloo "was not being held for his
views," which Khajehpour was nervous meant they were trying to
build a more serious charge of espionage.

8.(S/NF) Khajehpour speculated (and underscored this was
speculation) that sometimes in Iran one organization detains
someone without a clear plan of what to do with them, and after
a public outcry, charges the person to save face. He thinks the

DUBAI 00003263 002.2 OF 002


timing of Jahanbegloo's arrest suggests that it was ordered by
regime ideologues to undermine others' interest in opening a
US-Iran dialogue. They could turn up the pressure with their
treatment of his case in order to create a crisis to derail any
chance of talks.

Possible US Action
--------------

9.(S/NF) Khajehpour's advice to the US on handling Jahanbegloo's
case was to apply gradual pressure on the Iranian government.
He suggested beginning with private communication via a Swiss
channel note to the Iranian government to convey the concerns of
outside groups who had contacted the US government for help and
to ask the Iranian government for clarification of the
situation. This, he maintained, would be less confrontational
than a public statement and less likely to make the Iranians
overreact for reasons of pride and charge Jahanbegloo, while
reminding them the US was watching.

10.(S/NF) He said the Canadian ambassador met with the foreign
ministry, but Canada is somewhat hamstrung by the fact that
Jahanbegloo's dual citizenry could open him up to charges of
disloyalty, as dual citizenship is still technically a crime.
Solana has been active raising the case, but Khajehpour
expressed disappointment that the Indians, given that
Jahanbegloo had just returned from an Indian grant program, were
doing nothing.

Why Jahanbegloo?
--------------

11.(S/NF) Khajehpour said two factors made it harder for some,
like Hadad-Adel, to protect or advocate for Jahanbegloo:
Jahanbegloo's avowed secularism and his willingness to
antagonize others and not try to preserve allies.

12.(S/NF) Khajehpour said he worked with Jahanbegloo on the
journal Goftegoo. According to Khajehpour, when the publication
was banned in the mid 1990s under Rafsanjani, Jahanbegloo went
to Canada and got citizenship. He later returned to Iran and
focused his efforts on bringing preeminent philosophers to Iran
and translating into Farsi his interviews with them. Last year
he went to India on a six-month grant, which Khajepour believed
was related to use of non-violent political tactics. Khajepour
said this may have been what aroused Iran's suspicions, at a
time of increased rumors in the press of US attempts to
overthrow the regime through training activists. However, he
said Jahanbegloo's focus is on democratic philosophy, and he is
not trying to organize any kind of political movement.

13.(S/NF) Keyhan newspaper had noted Jahanbegloo's involvement
with National Endowment for Democracy and the Woodrow Wilson
Center, both of which Khajehpour himself has had involvement.
Khajehpour indicated perhaps what protects him and allows him
the flexibility to travel back and forth to conferences,
including in the US, is his less confrontational tactics,
including maintaining allies. He also says he goes out of way
to be open about his activities, including posting his
conference appearances on his website.

14.(S/NF) Hadian also said he did not feel vulnerable at this
time. Ironically, he said, he feels even safer than during the
previous administration because of his ties to both the
president (a school acquaintance) and the SCNS deputy.

Comment
--------------

15.(S/NF) Khajehpour's suggestion of a Swiss note to Iran on
Jahanpour is worth exploring. Although not the normal subject
to be handled in this way, a quiet approach might be more
effective than a public one in this period before any formal
charges are filed against Jahanpour.
DAVIS