IRISH RESPONSE TO US DESIGNATIONS OF IRANIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000823

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ISN, T, TREASURY, EUR, EAP, AND NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: EFIN EI KNNP PARM PREL
SUBJECT: IRISH RESPONSE TO US DESIGNATIONS OF IRANIAN
ENTITIES AND INDIVIDUALS

REF: STATE 148605

Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SECTION CHIEF TED PIERCE, REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) POLOFFS DELIVERED REFTEL ON THE GOALS AND DETAILS OF
NEW U.S. DESIGNATIONS OF IRANIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND BANKS TO
EMMA MADIGAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND UN COORDINATION,
AND STEPHEN DAWSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH
AFRICA, DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ON OCTOBER 26, 2007.


2. (C) DAWSON NOTED HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE TIMELINESS OF
U.S. DETAILS. HE SAID THAT ADDITIONAL EU DESIGNATIONS ON
IRAN ARE A LONG-TERM PROCESS, BUT IRELAND IS VERY AWARE OF
IRAN'S NON-PROLIFERATION VIOLATIONS. IRELAND HAS VERY
LIMITED COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN IRAN, BUT DAWSON SAID THE
GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE LOOKING AT ISSUES ON THE COMMERCIAL
LEVEL MORE CLOSELY TO ENSURE THAT IRISH BANKS ARE NOT WORKING
WITH DESIGNATED IRANIAN BANKS.


3. (C) DAWSON EXPRESSED SOME SKEPTICISM OF IRANIAN
INTERFERENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND ARMING THE TALIBAN--IRELAND
HEARS U.S. AND U.K. CONCERNS ABOUT IRAN SUPPORTING TERRORISTS
AND EXTREMISTS IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT HAS SEEN NO SPECIFIC
EVIDENCE OF THAT YET, DAWSON SAID.
FOLEY