IRAN'S JALILI IN LONDON: REBUFFED AS EXPECTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 003519 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2017 TAGS: PREL KNNP MNUC IR UK SUBJECT: IRAN'S JALILI IN LONDON: REBUFFED AS EXPECTED REF: A. (A) EMB LONDON 9/11/07 EMAIL TO NEA/IR ¶B. (B) LONDON 3362 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In a September 7 meetng, UK officials rebuffed Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Jalili's promotion of the IRI-IAEA Work Plan as a way to resolve the nuclear issue and reiterated the UK's firm commitment to the E3 3 and UNSCR process. End summary. ¶2. (C) Per ref (a),Iran Multilateral Team Desk Officer Chris Gotch on September 11 told Embassy Iran Watcher (Poloff) that HMG received Jalili at the "sub-minister level only;" Jalili was seen by PM Brown,s principal foreign policy advisor, Simon McDonald, and, separately, FCO Political Director Mark Lyall Grant. Iran Coordinator Antony Phillipson sat in on both sessions, while Iran,s London Ambassador Movahedian and DCM Arefi accompanied Jalili. Bilateral and nuclear issues were discussed in both meetings. Foreign Secretary Milliband's Iran Boilerplate -------------- - ¶3. (C) On bilateral issues, McDonald and Grant repeated Foreign Secretary Milliband,s standard formulation on Iran: the UK has no objection to a stable, prosperous Iran that plays a constructive role in its region, but will not tolerate an Iran that threatens its neighbors, destabilizes the Middle East and pursues nuclear weapons. If Iran wants a relationship based on mutual respect it must stop supporting those who attack Coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and must also cease the regime,s chronic harassment of UK Embassy Tehran staff. Gotch said that, when lethal aid to Iraqi insurgents came up, the Iranians made no response, omitting what Gotch called "their standard denial" that Iran is providing lethal aid in Iraq. ¶4. (C) On the nuclear issue, Jalili argued the IAEA-IRI Work Plan "closes" the nuclear issue. McDonald and Grant both demurred, noting HMG remains unconvinced of Iran's benign intentions regarding its nuclear program, and will continue to demand suspension of enrichment. McDonald and Grant, citing French President Sarkozy's speech to French Ambassadors, said the risks of Iran misunderstanding the seriousness of the nuclear issue, and "getting it wrong," are grave. No IRI Request to Send a "Special Envoy" to London -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Gotch said the FCO had granted Jalili a meetng with McDonald in addition to the appointment with Grant only in the expectation Jalili would raise Iran's long-standing request to send London a "special envoy" from Ahmedinejad. Gotch said McDonald had planned to repeat standard HMG rejections of any IRI request for a new communication channel, but Jalili never raised the issue. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm TUTTLE