Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MADRID3005
2006-12-07 09:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN ON IRAN'S FLAWED ELECTIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO8752 PP RUEHDE RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHMD #3005 3410924 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 070924Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1419 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0289 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0586 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 2905 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 4952 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 4839 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY 0113 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 1493 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 1648 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0794 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG PRIORITY 1599 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 2423 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 2704 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1215 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 1035 RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK PRIORITY 0022 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA PRIORITY 0084 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 2005 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 3076 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN PRIORITY 0107 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 7234 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0547 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0119 RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2274 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 0019
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003005
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IR
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON IRAN'S FLAWED ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 192971
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003005
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IR
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON IRAN'S FLAWED ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 192971
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The DCM discussed Iran's upcoming elections with MFA
Director General for Foreign Policy Rafael Dezcallar on
December 5. Reviewing reftel talking points, the DCM
emphasized the U.S. objective of highlighting the profound
flaws in the Iranian electoral process.
2. (C) Dezcallar said that Spain realizes that the
democratic system in Iran is highly imperfect, and Spain
laments the apparent shifting of influence from more moderate
voices to the extremist positions of Khameini and
Ahmedinejad. He said that Ahmedinejad was the driving force
of a populist nationalism in Iran that promotes
one-dimensional answers to the country's complex problems.
3. (C) However, Dezcallar underlined that Spain does not
consider Iran a totalitarian society, though he conceded that
it is an authoritarian regime. He said that Iran is in
reality more open than its exterior of Islamic theocracy
suggests. Spain feels that a small amount of political space
exists for moderate voices, and Dezcallar said that Spain
will continue to work with the EU to try to create more space
for moderates in Iran.
4. (C) Dezcallar said that Spain would take note of the
U.S. position. He added that, while Spain understands U.S.
apprehension toward Iran and would not presume to tell the
U.S. how to conduct foreign policy, Spain would view direct
contact between Tehran and Washington at some future point as
a positive development.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
Llorens
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IR
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON IRAN'S FLAWED ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 192971
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The DCM discussed Iran's upcoming elections with MFA
Director General for Foreign Policy Rafael Dezcallar on
December 5. Reviewing reftel talking points, the DCM
emphasized the U.S. objective of highlighting the profound
flaws in the Iranian electoral process.
2. (C) Dezcallar said that Spain realizes that the
democratic system in Iran is highly imperfect, and Spain
laments the apparent shifting of influence from more moderate
voices to the extremist positions of Khameini and
Ahmedinejad. He said that Ahmedinejad was the driving force
of a populist nationalism in Iran that promotes
one-dimensional answers to the country's complex problems.
3. (C) However, Dezcallar underlined that Spain does not
consider Iran a totalitarian society, though he conceded that
it is an authoritarian regime. He said that Iran is in
reality more open than its exterior of Islamic theocracy
suggests. Spain feels that a small amount of political space
exists for moderate voices, and Dezcallar said that Spain
will continue to work with the EU to try to create more space
for moderates in Iran.
4. (C) Dezcallar said that Spain would take note of the
U.S. position. He added that, while Spain understands U.S.
apprehension toward Iran and would not presume to tell the
U.S. how to conduct foreign policy, Spain would view direct
contact between Tehran and Washington at some future point as
a positive development.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
Llorens