IRANIAN INFLUENCE COMPLICATES IRAQ CONUNDRUM

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000013

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/4/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KPAO IZ IR
SUBJECT: IRANIAN INFLUENCE COMPLICATES IRAQ CONUNDRUM

REF: (A) 06 BASRAH 176 (B) 06 BASRAH 156

BASRAH 00000013 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, REO Basrah, Department
of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, REO Basrah, Department
of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (S/NF) Summary. Two close contacts of the Regional Embassy
Office (REO) Basrah provided disturbing reports of increasing
Iranian efforts to destabilize southern Iraq at a time that
MND(SE) is preparing to reposture its military forces and turn
Maysan and Basrah provinces over to Iraqi control (PIC). Abu
Muslim, a former member of the Interim Iraqi National Council,
provided detailed descriptions of legitimate goods as well as
money, weapons and trained fighters crossing almost unhindered
from Iran into Maysan. Majid al-Sari, a Defense Ministry
adviser, said Iran has trained at least 10,000 suicide bombers
to attack targets inside Iraq. Al-Sari took the Coalition
partners to task for having done a poor job of reaching out to
the middle class and moderate political groups of Basrah, while
Iran has increased support for its proxies, the Shia Islamic
political parties. End Summary.

IRANIAN INFLUENCE GROWING IN SOUTHERN IRAQ


2. (S) On January 21, Abu Muslim, a prominent civic leader
from Maysan Province, and on January 23, Majid al-Sari, an
adviser to the Defense Ministry on security matters in southern
Iraq, made disturbing reports about growing Iranian influence in
southern Iraq. Abu Muslim said cross-border smuggling with Iran
is booming in consumer goods and contraband weapons. He said
that trucks laden with fruits, vegetables, construction
materials, televisions, refrigerators, furniture, as well as
weapons and drugs, roll from Iran into Maysan at numerous border
crossing points with nary a glance from the Iraqi customs
police. He added that smuggling is rife in the marshes that
inundate large stretches of Maysan's border with Iran.


3. (S) Abu Muslim said that Iran is trying to destabilize Iraq
because it fears the U.S. presence in its western neighbor. In
his view, Iran is working through many of the Iraqi Shia
political parties, such as SCIRI, Hezbollah Harakat, and the
Office of the Martyr Sadr, to thwart U.S. efforts in Iraq. He
said an Iranian paramilitary organization, named Kar Gaa Quds
and led by Hameed Takaoui, trains, arms and pays five-man
guerrilla units to carry out assassinations and intimidation
inside Iraq. (Ref A.) The commander of each unit is paid $500
per month and the four others each $300 per month. Abu Muslim,
whose given name is Hussein Jaloob al-Saadi, is the founder of
the al-Huda Foundation for Strategic Studies, which promotes
democracy and tolerance.

MAJID AL-SARI CRITICIZES COALITION FOR NEGLECTING MODERATES


4. (S) In his meeting with the REO director, Majid al-Sari
echoed Abu Muslim's comments about Iranian destabilization
efforts that channel agents, training and money into Iraq. (Ref
B.) He said Iran is doing a more effective job of supporting
its proxies in Iraq than do the United States and the United
Kingdom, which he said have minimal contact with the middle
class and moderate political groups of Basrah. He said many
moderate citizens of Basrah are forced to declare their
allegiance to extremist political groups in order to stay alive.
He observed that the broadcast media of Basrah are dominated by
television stations operated by pro-Iranian Islamic parties. He
said that the Coalition and its allies should operate a
television station to put out information that would
counter-balance the heated rhetoric of the pro-Iranian
Islamists.


5. (S) Al-Sari said that Iran has trained about 10,000 suicide
bombers to invade Iraq if the United States attacked Iran. As
to who might be able to assume leadership of Basrah after the
Coalition relinquishes provincial control, al-Sari said a number
of tribal leaders who fought Iran in the 1980s and some Iraqi
Army officers could provide effective leadership. He declined
to name names and did not respond when asked his opinion of
Basrah Governor al-Wa'eli.


6. (S) Comment. Information provided by Abu Muslim and Majid
al-Sari suggests that Iran is ramping up its drive to assert
greater influence in southern Iraq at a time that the Coalition
is looking for ways to reduce their presence. The introduction

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of the Iranian factor makes finding a solution to the Iraq
conundrum more complex. End comment.
BONO