S E C R E T ROME 000237

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2036
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC IT IR CBW
SUBJECT: S23B-05: GOI IN RECEIPT OF INFORMATION CONCERNING
IRANIAN INTEREST IN AG-CONTROLLED TOXINS

REF: STATE 9468

Classified By: Acting EcMin Richard Boly for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S) Econoff delivered reftel nonpaper January 23 to
Enrico Padula, the MFA official responsible for Australia
Group issues. Padula shares our concern over attempts by
Mahamood Tavallaie to obtain research assistance regarding
the clostridium botulinum toxin and attempts by other Iranian
researchers to obtain assistance related to the Shiga Toxin.
Padula said he will ensure the information in reftel nonpaper
is passed to the relevant authorities in the MFA and that
Tavallaie is added to the GOI's visa lookout systems.


2. (U) Padula sits on the advisory panel to the GOI's
export-licensing office. In this capacity, he is well-placed
monitor export license applications which may be related to
the research described reftel.
SPOGLI