NOBEL LAUREATE EBADI DISCUSSES HER VIEWS WITH IRPO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000072 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON FOR GAYLE; BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD BAKU FOR HAUGEN; ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/4/2017 TAGS: IR PHUM PREL PGOV KNNP SUBJECT: NOBEL LAUREATE EBADI DISCUSSES HER VIEWS WITH IRPO RPO DUBAI 00000072 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Jillian Burns, Director, Iran Regional Presence Office, DoS. REASON: 1.4 (d) 1.(S) Summary: IRPO officers met with Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi November 30 during her visit to the UAE to complete her interview for a US immigrant visa. Ms. Ebadi repeated her public comments that Iran should comply with international law in the form of UNSCR demands and suspend uranium enrichment, and that the US should continue to focus diplomatic pressure on Iran toward this end. She maintained that any US or allied military attack on Iran would result in an upsurge of nationalist sentiment, strengthening Iranian hardliners. Ms. Ebadi asserted that the most effective way to pressure Iran on human rights would be to bring a case against them in the International Criminal Court (ICC). She advised the US to change its policy and support the ICC, and in the meantime to work with partners to bring a case against Iran. Ms. Ebadi emphasized that USG public statements in support of Iranian human rights and democracy activists are helpful and that the USG should continue to make such statements. Ms. Ebadi dismissed the importance of the March 2008 parliamentary elections, blaming the unelected Guardian Council for impeding any reform efforts. Ms. Ebadi said that she would stay in Iran until April 2008, when she would join her daughter in Atlanta. Ms. Ebadi indicated that she remains dedicated to human rights promotion and will continue her work on that front. End summary. 2.(S) On November 30, Ms. Shirin Ebadi and her husband, Javad Tavassolian (strictly protect),attended an immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy Abu Dhabi consular section. She had self-petitioned for the visa as an extraordinary ability alien, based primarily on her receipt of the 2003 Nobel Peace prize. After the conclusion of her interview, she was invited to meet with the Ambassador. The Ambassador arranged a meeting between Ebadi and IRPOffs. Press Iran on Human Rights through the ICC -------------- -------------- -------------- 3.(C) Ms. Ebadi and her husband were relaxed and cordial. Ms. Ebadi was direct in her statements regarding the Iranian government's failings and had clear suggestions to pass along to the USG. Ms. Ebadi asserted that the Iranian government would feel severe international pressure if a case were opened against them at the International Criminal Court, which she said had made a major impact on the Sudanese government. Since the US is not a signatory to the ICC, she recommended that others could take the lead. (Note: She also advised that the US should change its policy and support the ICC. End note.) She believed that USG statements in support of jailed dissidents were helpful in securing their fair treatment. Various cases -------------- 4.(C) Asked about the recent statement by her NGO, the Center for the Defense of Human Rights, which named persecution of Baha'is as one of the main human rights abuses by the government, Ms. Ebadi confirmed that the human rights situation for Baha'is in Iran is very poor. Regarding the significance of the government re-opening the investigation into the death of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, she said that the announcement of a new investigation was just a show. She expressed little hope that justice would be served in this case, and reiterated accusations that Tehran General Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi was involved in the death of Zahra Kazemi. 5.(C) Asked about Mortazavi's recent overturn of a court decision finding former nuclear negotiator Hossein Musavian not guilty of espionage, Ms. Ebadi confirmed that Mortazavi has the legal authority to overturn court decisions, but said this authority is very rarely used. She described Mortazavi as a powerful and influential figure who has better relations with the Supreme Leader than Judiciary head Ayatollah Shahrudi. Nuclear: Iran should suspend, US should continue diplomatic pressure -------------- -------------- -------------- RPO DUBAI 00000072 002.2 OF 002 6.(C) Ms. Ebadi emphatically asserted that any US or allied military attack on Iran would result in an immediate upsurge in nationalist popular feeling and rallying around the government, strengthening the hardliners. She said the US should continue to rally diplomatic pressure on Iran, and Iran should suspend uranium enrichment in line with UN Security Council resolution demands. (Note: Ms. Ebadi made this statement publicly earlier in November, in line with her general call to honor the mandates of international law. End note.) Majles elections unimportant, Guardian Council impedes reforms -------------- -------------- -------------- 7.(C) Ms. Ebadi dismissed the importance of the March 2008 parliamentary (Majles) elections as long as the Guardian Council supervised both the vetting of candidates, the elections, and had final say on all legislation. She noted that in former President Khatami's second term, the reformists controlled the parliament, but no meaningful reforms were instituted because the Guardian Council blocked all significant legislation. Ms. Ebadi added that she and other rights activists and groups have long lobbied for changes in laws including those on stoning, torture, and legal equality for women, but the Guardian Council consistently blocked any efforts by the Majles to change these laws. Without a change to the role and powers of the Guardian Council, the prospects for any real reform in Iran were negligible, she said. 8.(C) Comment: Ms. Ebadi said that she would stay in Iran until April 2008, when she would join her daughter in Atlanta. Ms. Ebadi indicated that she remains dedicated to human rights promotion and will continue her work on that front. 9.(U) This message was cleared by Embassy Abu Dhabi. BURNS