DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001697 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2017 TAGS: KNNP MNUC IR PARM KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM REF: SECSTATE 162558 Classified By: CDA Timothy A. Lenderking for reasons 1.4 b and d (S) On December 4, A/POLCOUNS delivered reftel points to MFA Iran Desk Officer Rashed Al-Hajiri. Al-Hajiri said that despite the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report on Iran's suspension of a nuclear weapons program, IRAN will continue to assert that its nuclear ambitions have always been to develop atomic energy strictly for peaceful purposes. Al-Hajiri expressed gratitude for the NIE points, but, based on a perceived loss of American intelligence credibility, doubted that "the man on the street" would believe that IRAN was ever serious in its pursuit of developing a weapons program, as reported in the NIE. He welcomed the points highlighting how international efforts pressured and isolated Iran and played a key role in Iran's move to halt non-peaceful nuclear energy development. He commented that this is a positive step towards security in the Gulf and added that the region "can bear no more wars." He also added that he would circulate the NIE and reftel points to other relevant MFA officials. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LENDERKING