Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06IRANRPODUBAI14
2006-11-29 17:16:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Iran RPO Dubai
Cable title:  

IRANIAN ACTIVISTS LAUD US HUMAN RIGHTS PRESSURE, ADVISE

Tags:  IR PREL PGOV PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
PAASZYUW RUEHDIR0014 3331716-SSSS--RHMCSUU.
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P R 291716Z NOV 06
FM IRAN RPO DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI
RUEHAD/USDAO ABU DHABI TC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000014 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA/IR; LONDON FOR GAYLE;
PARIS FOR WALLER; BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD;

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2026
TAGS: IR PREL PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: IRANIAN ACTIVISTS LAUD US HUMAN RIGHTS PRESSURE, ADVISE
AGAINST IMPOSING DEMOCRACY

REF: RPO DUBAI 0013

RPO DUBAI 00000014 001.3 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: JILLIAN BURNS, DIRECTOR, IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE
OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (D)
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000014

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA/IR; LONDON FOR GAYLE;
PARIS FOR WALLER; BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD;

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2026
TAGS: IR PREL PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: IRANIAN ACTIVISTS LAUD US HUMAN RIGHTS PRESSURE, ADVISE
AGAINST IMPOSING DEMOCRACY

REF: RPO DUBAI 0013

RPO DUBAI 00000014 001.3 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: JILLIAN BURNS, DIRECTOR, IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE
OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (D)

1.(S/NF) SUMMARY: IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE OFFICERS MET NOVEMBER
22 WITH A GROUP OF PROMINENT DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS, IN DUBAI FOR VISAS FOR A US CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE
OF REFORM IN IRAN. ON ONE HAND, THE ACTIVISTS LAUDED SUPPORT
FROM THE US FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN. FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER
HASHEM AGHAJARI CITED US PRESSURE, AS WELL AS PRESSURE FROM
OTHER SOURCES, AS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE OVERTURNING OF HIS DEATH
SENTENCE AND HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON. ON THE OTHER, THEY
EXPRESSED CONCERN THE US WOULD TRY TO IMPOSE DEMOCRACY IN IRAN,
OR CONVERSELY FORGET ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IF IT REACHED A DEAL
WITH THE CURRENT REGIME. THEY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR US CULTURAL
AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE EFFORTS CENTERED IN DUBAI AND
ENCOURAGED GREATER US UNDERSTANDING OF IRAN. THEY SAID UPCOMING
ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS ELECTIONS CARRY LITTLE IMPORT FOR ELITES AND
INTELLECTUALS, BUT POORER IRANIANS ARE LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE.
BY CONTRAST, THEY NOTED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
THEY NOTED INCREASING LIMITS ON THEIR ACTIVITIES AND THEIR
DISAPPOINTMENT IN PRESIDENT KHATAMI. END SUMMARY.

2.(S/NF) ON NOVEMBER 22, IRPO DIRECTOR AND IRPOFFS MET WITH A
GROUP OF FOUR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS WHO WERE IN
DUBAI APPLYING FOR US VISAS. POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AND
FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER HASHEM AGHAJARI, STUDENT ACTIVIST
ABDOLLAH MOMENI, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST MARZIEH MORTEZA
LANGEROUDI, AND JOURNALIST ALIREZA RAJAI (STRICTLY PROTECT ALL
NAMES) PLAN TO ATTEND A FEBRUARY 2007 CONFERENCE ON DEMOCRACY
AND REFORM, ORGANIZED BY FORMER MP FATEMEH HAGHIGHATJOO AT MIT.
WHEN ASKED THE TOPIC OF HIS PRESENTATION, AGHAJARI SAID HE WOULD
ADDRESS THE TOPIC OF DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION IN IRAN, AND THE
ROLE OF RELIGION IN REFORM AND DEMOCRACY. (NOTE: RAJAI MADE NO
SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS DURING THE MEETING. ENDNOTE)


GRATEFUL FOR US PRESSURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS, FUTURE CONCERNS
-------------- --------------

3.(S/NF) WHEN ASKED WHAT HE THOUGHT BROUGHT ABOUT THE
OVERTURNING OF HIS DEATH SENTENCE AND HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON IN
2004, AGHAJARI CITED BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE,
INCLUDING FROM THE US, FROM GOVERNMENTS AS WELL AS MASS MEDIA.
WHEN ASKED IF HE THOUGHT PRESSURE FROM THE US CAN HAVE A
DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON A HUMAN RIGHTS CASE, HE DISAGREED.
NONETHELESS, SEVERAL ACTIVISTS WERE SUSPICIOUS OF THE US
COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. AGHAJARI FELT THE US
APPLIED PRESSURE SELECTIVELY ON THE ISSUE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
ASKED WHETHER THE US WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS IN
IRAN IF THE TWO COUNTRIES CAME TO AGREEMENT ON OTHER KEY ISSUES.
IRPO DIRECTOR REITERATED THE US COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHT AND
DEMOCRACY, EXPLAINING THAT PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY IN US FOREIGN POLICY.

US AND DEMOCRACY IN IRAN
--------------

4.(S/NF) WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST LANGEROUDI MAINTAINED THAT HAD
IT NOT BEEN FOR THE US SPONSORED 1953 COUP OF PRIME MINISTER
MOHAMMAD MOSSADEQ, SHE WOULD BE LIVING TODAY IN A DEMOCRACY.
SHE COMMENTED THAT IN A TRUE DEMOCRACY, THE PEOPLE DETERMINE
WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM, AND THAT THE ALTERNATIVE, WHERE LEADERS
MAKE ALL THE DETERMINATIONS, IS CALLED "SULTANISM." SHE ALSO
EXPRESSED SUSPICION THAT US MOTIVES IN IRAQ WERE FOCUSED ON OIL,
NOT DEMOCRACY. AGHAJARI ADDED THAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD COME FROM
THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY. IRAN IS A RELIGIOUS COUNTRY, LIKE
THE US, AND THAT DEMOCRACY IN IRAN MUST HAVE A RELIGIOUS
ELEMENT. HE STATED THAT A COMPLETE SECULAR DEMOCRACY WOULD
INSULT IRANIANS' RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

5.(S/NF) AGHAJARI CONTINUED THAT IRANIANS ARE NOT AGAINST THE US
AND, AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE PUBLIC OPINION POLL THAT GOT ABBAS
ABDI THROWN IN PRISON, THE MAJORITY SUPPORT RESTORATION OF TIES
WITH THE US. NONETHELESS, THE IRANIAN PEOPLE ARE PROUD AND WISH
TO BE INDEPENDENT AND MAINTAIN THEIR NATIONAL DIGNITY. IRANIANS
ARE SUSPICIOUS OF INTERVENTION, HE COMMENTED. HE ADVISED THAT
THE US SHOULD NOT TAKE STEPS THAT LOOK LIKE IT WANTS TO
INTERVENE OR DICTATE. HE CLAIMED THAT IRANIANS ARE CURRENTLY
TESTING THE US, AND THAT IF US POLICIES ARE CONTRADICTORY OR IF
IT APPEARS THE US IS DOING THINGS FOR ITS OWN BENEFIT IN THE
REGION, THERE WILL BE DISTRUST AND SUSPICION. NOTING THE GREAT
IMPORTANCE OF THE NUCLEAR ISSUE, HE SAID THAT UNDERSTANDING
WOULD BE GOOD FOR BOTH SIDES, WHILE CONFLICT WOULD BE BAD FOR
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RPO DUBAI 00000014 002.3 OF 003


BOTH SIDES. IN GENERAL, HE ADDED, IT WOULD BENEFIT THE US IF
THERE WERE AN END TO WAR AND TERROR IN THE REGION AND IF THE
REGIONAL COUNTRIES HAD GREATER CAPACITY, RATHER THAN POVERTY.

SUPPORTIVE OF INCREASED FOCUS ON IRAN
--------------

6.(S/NF) AGHAJARI EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF DUBAI AS A
CENTER FOR US CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES WITH IRANIANS.
HE COMMENTED THAT THE US GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN OUTSIDE OF IRAN FOR
OVER 27 YEARS AND SHOULD IMPROVE ITS KNOWLEDGE OF THE COUNTRY.
AGHAJARI ASSERTED THAT BETTER US UNDERSTANDING OF IRAN WOULD
HELP TO BRING PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN THE REGION.

POORER IRANIANS MORE LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS
-------------- --------------

7.(S/NF) REGARDING THE DECEMBER 15 ELECTIONS FOR THE ASSEMBLY
OF EXPERTS, THE BODY THAT SELECTS AND NOMINALLY SUPERVISES THE
SUPREME LEADER, AGHAJARI COMMENTED THAT URBAN ELITES AND
INTELLECTUALS DO NOT TAKE THE ELECTIONS SERIOUSLY. ON THE OTHER
HAND, PARTICIPATION IS LIKELY TO BE HIGHER AMONG THE LOWER
CLASSES, WHO TEND TO BE MORE RELIGIOUS. AGHAJARI NOTED THAT
ALTHOUGH THE ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS ELECTIONS HOLD LITTLE
IMPORTANCE, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS ARE OF SOME
SIGNIFICANCE. THE COUNCILS HAVE GREATER PUBLIC SUPPORT THAN
THAT ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS, HE NOTED, AND FOR THIS REASON THE
GOVERNMENT HELD THE ELECTIONS FOR BOTH BODIES CONCURRENTLY, IN A
BID TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION. AGHAJARI COMMENTED THAT
REFORMISTS ARE UNLIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS BUT MADE
NO MENTION OF AN ORGANIZED ELECTION BOYCOTT BY REFORMISTS.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST LANGEROUDI TOLD IRPOFFS THAT SHE WOULD
NOT VOTE. ASKED ABOUT VETTING OF CANDIDATES FOR THE MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL ELECTIONS, MOMENI CONFIRMED THAT CANDIDATES ARE BEING
VETTED BY THE MAJLES, RATHER THAN THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL OR THE
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR. (NOTE: IRANIAN DOMESTIC PRESS REPORTS
INDICATE THAT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL CANDIDATES ARE BEING VETTED BY A
MAJLES-APPOINTED "CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOR MONITORING COUNCIL
ELECTIONS." AS OF NOVEMBER 29, NO NAMES OR FIGURES HAVE BEEN
RELEASED REGARDING QUALIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL CANDIDATES.
ENDNOTE)

INCREASED RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON ACTIVISTS
--------------

8.(S/NF) THE ACTIVISTS NOTED INCREASED LIMITATIONS ON ACTIVISTS
(ALTHOUGH THEY NOTABLY DEFLECTED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY
EXPECTED REPERCUSSIONS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE MIT
CONFERENCE). CITING A PERSONAL EXAMPLE, AGHAJARI SAID THAT
DIRECTORS OF ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS ARE USUALLY CHOSEN BY THE
DEPARTMENT STAFF, BUT WHEN HE WAS CHOSEN TO HEAD THE HISTORY
DEPARTMENT, THE GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
INTERVENED AND APPOINTED SOMEONE ELSE. AGHAJARI ALSO NOTED A
FREE SPEECH RALLY HELD IN LATE NOVEMBER BY STUDENTS AT TEHRAN
UNIVERSITY, SAYING THAT HE WAS PREVENTED FROM SPEAKING AT THAT
EVENT, BUT OTHERS SPOKE ON HIS BEHALF. (NOTE: SEE REFTEL FOR
MORE ON INTERFERENCE BY THE GOVERNMENT IN UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.
ENDNOTE)

IRAN'S DISAPPOINTED REFORMISTS
--------------

9.(S/NF) STUDENT ACTIVIST MOMENI, WHO DESCRIBED HIS OWN FIVE
YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR HIS POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND 50 DAYS
IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, DETAILED REFORMISTS' DISAPPOINTMENT
WITH PRESIDENT KHATAMI. MOMENI DID NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT MANY
PROTEST LEADERS WERE RELEASED FROM PRISON DURING KHATAMIS
PRESIDENCY. HE SAID STUDENT SUPPORT FOR KHATAMI IN THE 1997
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN HIS ELECTORAL
SUCCESS. KHATAMI HAD TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL TO BRING ABOUT
REFORM, BUT HE DISAPPOINTED HIS SUPPORTERS AND SIDED WITH THE
GOVERNMENT. THE STUDENTS WITHDREW THEIR SUPPORT FOR KHATAMI IN
THE 2001 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BECAUSE OF HIS INABILITY TO STAND
UP TO THE GOVERNMENT. NONETHELESS, MANY STILL REGARD KHATAMI
AS OPEN-MINDED AND A TRUE INTELLECTUAL, IN CONTRAST TO
AHMADINEJAD OR RAFSANJANI, MOMENI SAID.

10.(S/NF) COMMENT: IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT EVEN AMONG IRANIANS
WHO ARE CRITICAL OF THEIR GOVERNMENT, THERE IS STILL SKEPTICISM
OF THE MOTIVATIONS OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND A FEAR OF FOREIGN
INTERVENTION. AMONG IRANIANS, THIS SKEPTICISM HAS HISTORICALLY
BEEN DIRECTED TOWARD RUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN, BUT ALSO EXTENDS
TO THE US, AS THE MENTION OF THE 1953 COUP AGAINST MOSSADEQ
INDICATES. IT IS ALSO INTERESTING THAT A PERSON SUCH AS
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RPO DUBAI 00000014 003.3 OF 003


AGHAJARI, WHO HAS BEEN PERSECUTED AND IMPRISONED BY THE CLERICAL
GOVERNMENT FOR HIS VIEWS OF ISLAM, CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR A
ROLE FOR RELIGION WITHIN A FUTURE DEMOCRATIC IRAN.

11.(S/NF) COMMENT CONTINUED: MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WERE
RELUCTANT TO ENGAGE ON THE TOPIC OF POSSIBLE REPERCUSSIONS FOR
THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE MIT CONFERENCE. AGHAJARI AND MOMENI
DISMISSED THE QUESTION, CLAIMING THEY HAD NOT THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT
IT. AGHAJARI SAID SIMPLY THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT THE
BEHAVIOR OF AHMADINEJAD'S GOVERNMENT. THEIR RELUCTANCE MAY HAVE
BEEN DUE TO CONCERNS THAT THEIR RESPONSES WOULD AFFECT THEIR
VISA APPLICATIONS BUT BEARS MENTIONING NONETHELESS.
BURNS
B T
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