Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KABUL829
2007-03-12 07:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

SHIA ACTIVIST DESCRIBES IRAN'S EFFORTS TO EXPAND

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER IR AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2172
PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHBUL #0829/01 0710722
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 120722Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6757
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3524
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3753
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000829 

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DEPT FOR SA/FO, SCA/A, S/CT, S/CR, SCA/PAB, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR KIMMITT
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER IR AF
SUBJECT: SHIA ACTIVIST DESCRIBES IRAN'S EFFORTS TO EXPAND
INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: DCM Richard Norland for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

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SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000829

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SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/FO, SCA/A, S/CT, S/CR, SCA/PAB, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR KIMMITT
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER IR AF
SUBJECT: SHIA ACTIVIST DESCRIBES IRAN'S EFFORTS TO EXPAND
INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: DCM Richard Norland for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) According to Sayed Jawad Husseini, the leader of a
minor political party, "Afghan Youth", Iran is stepping up
its efforts to influence the Afghan media, education, and
influential Parliamentarians. At least four television
stations financed by Iran are scheduled to go on the air in
April. Additionally, Iran funds at least ten schools in
Kabul, in many instances providing textbooks, the content of
which they control. Husseini alleged that several
parliamentarians are on the Iranian payroll -- a few maintain
houses in Iran or formerly served in the Iranian military.
He asserts Iranians are also actively engaged in widespread
disinformation campaigns. Husseini was jailed several times
for his political activities while living in Iran and is
eager to support those who oppose its policies. END SUMMARY

--------------
Iran's Influence in Media Rising
--------------


2. (C) Husseini explained to POLOFF on March 6 that three
television and radio conglomerates in Afghanistan were
operated and financed by Iranians. Tamadun ("civilization"),
a television station slated to go on the air in April, is
staffed by "Sepahi Pasdaran," a unit in the Iranian military
which controls the hiring of local staff. Ayatollah
Mosseini, a moderate Shia from Kandahar who heads the Arakat
Islamic Party, owns the station. The station will have a
line-up of "regular" programming; it will not focus solely on
religious themes.


3. (C) "Kawsar" (the title of a chapter in the Koran about
Mohammend's daughter Fatima) is a television station
scheduled to go on the air in April. It primary content will
be religious programming. Ayatollah Taqadusi, a Turkman from
Parwan, owns the station and Iran finances approximately 80
percent. The remaining 20 percent comes from donations made

by some 400 individuals who regularly attend Friday prayers
in Taqadusi's mosque. (Note: Ayatollahs Mosseini, Taqadusi,
and Mohaqqeq Kabuli are viewed by the Shia community as their
three main leaders. Mosseini and Taqadusi live in Kabul and
preach in Mosques in western Kabul. Kabuli lives in Iran.
End Note.)


4. (C) According to Husseini, Parliamentarian Haji Mohammed
Mohaqqeq, a Hazara Shia from Kabul, is organizing a third
television/radio conglomerate, "Fardah" ("tomorrow") with
funding from Iran. The Fardah radio station is already on
the air, and the television station is schedule to broadcast
beginning in April. Currently the radio only broadcasts in
Kabul but has plans to expand. Husseini said that Mohaqqeq
received USD 1.3 million from Iran to open the television and
radio stations. Another station heavily influence by Iran
that is scheduled to go on the air soon is "Noorin"
("something bright) and is is owned by a group of Panjshiris.

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Iran Actively Influencing Educational Sphere
--------------


5. (C) Ayatollah Mosseini is also in charge of the enormous
mosque and madrassa that is being constructed near
Parliament. According to Husseini, Mosseini received USD 70
million to build the complex, which includes learning
facilities for 400 women and 5,000 men. Housing will be
provided for a small number of students. The women's wing is
currently occupied, but classes for the men have been delayed
for a year while construction is finished on the mosque.
According to Husseini, the mosque and the men's school is

KABUL 00000829 002 OF 003


slated to open sometime in 2008. (Note: Between 20-30 percent
of the Afghan population is Shia. End Note).


6. (C) Husseini said that roughly ten public schools in
Kabul receive significant support from Iran which supplies
everything from desks to textbooks. Additionally, he said
that Iran has paid to establish three private schools in west
Kabul that are slated to open after the new year in April.
He added that they are not Madrassas and both boys and girls
will attend. The schools have received their license from
the Ministry of Education and approximately 1500 students
total will be enrolled.

--------------
Iran Allegedly Paying MPs
--------------


7. (C) According to Husseini, several parliamentarians
receive significant amounts of funding from Iran. Husseini
named the following MPs: Speaker of the Lower House Yunus
Qanooni (a Tajik Sunni); Burhanuddin Rabbani (a Tajik Sunni
who is Chair of Legislation Committee); Haji Mohammed
Mohaqqeq (a Hazara Shia who is Chair of the Committee on
Education, Religion, and Culture); Ustad Mohammed Akbari (a
Hazara Shia from Bamyan who is not on any committee); Alami
Balkhi (a Hazara Shia from Kabul who is the Chair of the
Committee on Justice, Administrative Reform, and
Anti-Corruption); Dr. Abdul Qayyum Sajadi (a Hazara Shia from
Ghazni who is on the International Relations Committee); and
Sayed Mustafa Kazimi (a Tajik Shia who is Chair of the
Economy Committee).


8. (C) Husseini said that Kazimi was a former deputy
(specifically, second in command) in the Lashkar-e Mohammed
Rasulallah, a special military unit in the Iranian army that
sends its men to fight in foreign campaigns. Husseini
explained that this unit had previously sent fighters to
Lebanon, and the unit is composed of mainly Afghans, but
there are also Pakistanis and Iraqis in the group. The name
of Akbari's political party was originally "Sepahi pasdaran"
(named after the special military unit in the Iranian army).
He changed it a few years ago to "National Unity." Husseini
said that Akbari has been connected to Iran for over 30
years, and his political party is financed by Iran. He
explained that Sajadi owns a home in Qom, where his immediate
family lives, and he returns there every Parliamentary
recess. Husseini said that Akbari and Sajadi both regularly
pass information on the Parliament to Iran. Balkhi owns a
publication called "The Way To Survive." Husseini said that
it is financed by Iran, and the GOI instructs Balkhi on what
articles to publish.

--------------
Iran Engages in Disinformation Campaigns
--------------


9. (C) Husseini said that Iran actively engages in
disinformation campaigns in Afghanistan. He said, for
example, that the allegations about Iranian special forces
patrolling the streets of Kabul looking for Americans to
kidnap in retribution for the Iranians that were taken from
the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad was disinformation that was
deliberately sold to the U.S. military by Iranian agents.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


10. (C) Husseini's observations track with concerns
expressed to the Embassy by Information and Culture Minister
Khoram with regard to Iran,s efforts to exert cultural
influence on Afghan audiences in the relative vacuum left by
three decades of war and political turmoil. Khoram flatly
fears Iranian "cultural imperialism." That Iran is

KABUL 00000829 003 OF 003


augmenting these efforts with covert activities is also
incontrovertible. Interest and even pressure from Iran is
growing, but thus far it appears to be within the bounds of
what passes for "normal" conduct between these historically
uneasy neighbors. END COMMENT.

--------------
Biographic Note
--------------


11. (C) Husseini is a Shia who previously lived in Iran for
25 years. During his last three years of residence in Qom he
was imprisoned six times for his political activities for
periods of 10-15 days. Husseini said that the only reason he
was not killed was thanks to the UNHCR, and therefore he is
happy to cooperate with the U.S., because he sees the U.S. as
supportive of the UNHCR. Husseini founded his political
party "Afghan Youth" five years ago, and its platform
includes anti-Iran rhetoric. During his meetings with
PolOff, he suggested several times that the U.S. and the
international community should be doing more to combat Iran's
growing influence in Afghanistan. He is one of the few Shias
PolOff has met who takes an open anti-Iran stance and
publicly speaks out against the Iranian government.
NEUMANN