IRANIAN ARAB CLERIC CLAIMS IRANIANS INCREASINGLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000049

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PINR IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS
SUBJECT: IRANIAN ARAB CLERIC CLAIMS IRANIANS INCREASINGLY
DISILLUSIONED WITH HARDLINERS

REF: 06 KUWAIT 3535

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C/NF) Poloff met January 10 with Shaykh Mohammed Kathem
Al-Khaqani, an Iranian Arab Shi'a cleric from Ahwaz, the
former Arabic name of the predominantly Arab province of
Khuzestan in western Iran. Shaykh Mohammed is the second son
of Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Taher Al-Khaqani, who, according
to one open source report, was an ardent proponent of Ahwazi
rights and outspoken opponent of the Iranian Revolution.
Shaykh Mohammed said both he and his father were moved to Qom
in 1979 and put under house arrest by the Iranian government
until Grand Ayatollah Mohammed's death in 1986. In 1995,
Shaykh Mohammed fled to Syria where, despite being harassed
by Syrian intelligence, he remained until 2004 when he moved
to Kuwait. Although he claims to have close ties to many
Shi'a clerics in the region, Shaykh Mohammed said he does not
maintain relations with Kuwaiti Shi'a clergy because,
according to him, the majority are ideologically affiliated
with the revolutionary government in Iran. He also noted
that he has not been harassed in any way by the Kuwaiti
government.


2. (C/NF) Shaykh Mohammed claimed the Iranian people were
growing increasingly disillusioned with the hardline regime
in Tehran. He cited corruption, oppression, and poverty as
the main reasons for this disillusionment. According to him,
this sentiment was also widespread among Shi'a clerics and
theological students in Iran. (Note: Shaykh Mohammed taught
at a theological school in Qom after being released from
house arrest in 1986. End note.) Shaykh Mohammed predicted
the Iranian people would support a strong, united opposition
movement against the government if one were to emerge. He
was not overly optimistic, however, that such a movement
would form in Iran in the near future.


3. (C/NF) Comment: Shaykh Mohammed appears to be in his
early-40s. He spoke in Arabic throughout the meeting and
seemed to understand very little English. He lives in a
modest apartment with his family. Although he claimed not to
be affiliated with any particular Ahwazi opposition group,
Shaykh Mohammed appears to have some connection to the
Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz (reftel),a
representative of which requested the meeting on the Shaykh's
behalf. End comment.

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
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Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
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LeBaron