FINLAND TO STAND WITH THE U.S. ON IRAN-IAEA WORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000830 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017 TAGS: MNUC KNNP PARM IR IAEA AORC FI SUBJECT: FINLAND TO STAND WITH THE U.S. ON IRAN-IAEA WORK PLAN COMPLIANCE REF: SECSTATE 151038 Classified By: Classified By: Economic Officer Glenn Lewis for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Econoff delivered reftel demarche on to Anssi Leino, Counselor for Iran in the Finnish MFA's Unit for the Middle East and North Africa. Citing the IAEA's Work Plan as the only positive sign on Iran's nuclear program in years, Leino said Finland strongly supports EU and U.S. demands that Iran strictly comply with the complete Work Plan. Leino stressed that the U.S. and the EU must show strong international unity when facing Iran, especially to shore-up support from other members of the UN Security Council. Leino said Finnish and EU officials, at the highest levels, continually discuss Iranian compliance with IAEA directives and UN Security Council resolutions in all bilateral and multilateral meeting with key governments including China and Russia. Leino believes it is only a matter of time before the UN Security Council will have to issue additional sanctions to force Iran to meet its nuclear program obligations. WARE