Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BERLIN254
2007-02-08 10:02:00
SECRET
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

GERMAN MPS NOTE IRANIAN UNITY ON NUCLEAR ISSUE,

Tags:  PREL GM IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1602
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHRL #0254/01 0391002
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 081002Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6969
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000254 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2017
TAGS: PREL GM IR
SUBJECT: GERMAN MPS NOTE IRANIAN UNITY ON NUCLEAR ISSUE,
DIVISION ON AHMADINEJAD

BERLIN 00000254 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor John Bauman for reasons 1.4
(b)/(d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000254

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2017
TAGS: PREL GM IR
SUBJECT: GERMAN MPS NOTE IRANIAN UNITY ON NUCLEAR ISSUE,
DIVISION ON AHMADINEJAD

BERLIN 00000254 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor John Bauman for reasons 1.4
(b)/(d)


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: Two delegations of German
parliamentarians recently visited Iran on fact-finding
missions, encountering broad-based support for the Iranian
nuclear program and ignorance about the exact details of the
international community's position on an Iranian civil
nuclear program. One MP emphasized that Ahmadinejad's views
and policies are coming under increasing criticism, including
from former supporters. He advised that the international
community should follow UNSCR 1737's February 21st deadline
to allow for consensus-building within the Iranian
decisionmaking elite to take place, while continuing to
emphasize the international community's acceptance of the
Iranian civil nuclear program. He also noted Iranian
interest in a multilateral parliamentary dialogue on regional
issues, to include members of the U.S. Congress. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) A number of German parliamentarians have visited
Iran in recent months, conducting fact-finding missions on
the nuclear issue and the domestic political situation, as
well as interceding with the Iranian government on behalf of
jailed German Donald Klein. SPD MP and German-Iranian
Parliamentary Group chair Rolf Muetzenich's December 15-19
visit coincided with the Iranian municipal and Assembly of
Experts elections. Opposition Green Party caucus chair Fritz
Kuhn and fellow MP Volker Beck traveled to Iran January
22-26. Both delegations met with a variety of contacts,
including parliamentarians, administration members, reform
politicians, and civil society and labor activists. The
Iranian news agencies featured both visits prominently in
both their FARSI- and English-language outlets, while German
media focused on the MPs' efforts for Klein.


3. (S) IRANIANS UNITED ON RIGHT TO CIVILIAN NUCLEAR
TECHNOLOGY: Muetzenich told PolOff February 2 that his
"sixth or seventh" visit to Iran revealed public unity on
Iran's right to nuclear energy. Muetzenich, who also serves
on the Bundestag's Foreign Relations Committee and
Subcommittee for Nonproliferation and Disarmament, added that

the Iranian public remains ignorant of the international
community's reaffirmation of Iran's right to civilian nuclear
technology. According to Muetzenich, the Iranian public has
so closely linked its national identity to the right to
nuclear technology that they have missed the international
community's message. Green Party foreign policy staffer
Marianne Tritz, who accompanied Kuhn and Beck to Iran, echoed
Muetzinch, noting that interlocutors from an array of
political allegiances repeatedly asked why the international
community objected to Iran's nuclear program and repeated
their insistence of the Iranian right to a civilian nuclear
energy program. Tritz added that their Iranian interlocutors
had two other clear messages: their desire to be taken
seriously and to stand on equal footing with the United
States, as well as their wish to be a strong regional power.


4. (C) AHMADINEJAD'S DOMESTIC SUPPORT WANES: On the domestic
front, Muetzenich noted a spike of uncertainty and loss of
confidence within Ahmadinejad's camp following the
announcement of the municipal election results, as well as
disillusionment among "former" Ahmadinejad supporters.
Muetzenich's interlocutors expressed frustration that
Ahmadinjead paid attention only to his "clientele" in terms
of both dispensing favors and on ideological issues. Another
point of frustration among the Iranian political elite is
Ahmadinejad's focus on creating alliances abroad while the
economy and infrastructure suffers at home. While no
ideological linkage exists between the political elite's
variety of Ahmadinejad opponents, said Muetzenich, the
"common problem" of Ahmadinejad has brought them together.
Interlocutors also told Muetzenich that Ahmadinejad is not
supported by the clerical establishment, and reported that
the Supreme Leader desires a "check & balance system" in
response to Ahmadinejad. Mindful of German sensitivities,
interlocutors also made clear that Ahmadinejad's rhetoric on
the Holocaust was not tolerated by everyone.


5. (C) WORDS OF ADVICE: Both Muetzenich and Tritz offered
advice for the international community's next steps on Iran.
First, the international community should adhere to UNSCR
1737's February 21st deadline and not move against Iran
earlier. Muetzenich asserted that this period would be used
by the Iranian elite to build consensus on how to react to
1737 and that they need time to solidify this consensus.
Second, he also called for the use of a more differentiated
language when talking about Iran and its various centers of
political power (particularly in regards to Ahmadinejad),
saying that such language would be well-received by the

BERLIN 00000254 002.2 OF 002


Iranian decisionmaking elite. He also called for more
emphasis on the international community's acceptance of the
Iranian civil nuclear program, noting that the message of the
U.S.'s agreement to civil nuclear technology has not been
absorbed by the Iranian elite or the public at large. Tritz
called for increased dialogue on issues that could serve as
areas of cooperation and mutual interest, particularly
Afghanistan.


6. (S/NF): OFFER TO FACILITATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN MEMBERS OF
U.S. CONGRESS, IRANIAN MAJLIS: Muetzenich added that
interest exists among some Iranian Parliamentarians to meet
with members of the U.S. Congress within a multilateral forum
to discuss issues like regional security in the Gulf or other
issues that could contribute to confidence- and
trust-building. Muetzenich noted that the German side would
be willing to serve in an "inviting role."


7. (S/NF) COMMENT: While the German government continues
to refrain from making bilateral gestures towards Iran,
efforts outside the government-to-government sphere seems to
be alive and well (and looking to expand, based on
Muetzenich's offer). Both delegations credited their
parties' relatively high standing in Iran (the SPD as the
party of FM Steinmeier and the Greens as the bearers of
Joschka Fischer's legacy) as an important factor for
receiving access to decisionmakers and the influential elite.
Meanwhile, the visits give the Iranian government the means
to counteract domestic fears of international isolation. As
the UNSCR February 21 deadline nears, the Iranians are also
deploying their track-two emissaries to Berlin, as
highlighted by the current visit by the Adviser to the
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Hossein

SIPDIS
Moussavian, a widely respected former ambassador to Germany
(septel).
TIMKEN JR