ITALY: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS IRAN DESIGNATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002247 SIPDIS SIPDIS ISN/CPI ANTHONY RUGGIERO, T, TREASURY, EUR, EAP, NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017 TAGS: PREL KNNP IR PARM EFIN SUBJECT: ITALY: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS IRAN DESIGNATIONS DEMARCHE TO FM AND MOF REF: SECSTATE 148605 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald J. Spogli for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) Ambassador spoke with FM Massimo D'Alema October 25 to inform him of the designations of Iranian entities and individuals under U.S. Executive Orders (reftel). He told the FM that the U.S. expected Italy to take these actions seriously and do all Italy could to make their impact felt, and said we would send the non-paper and fact sheet by email and fax to his office and that of the Finance Minister. (Both were immediately faxed to the two Minister's offices). D'Alema noted that he had an appointment to speak on the phone with the Secretary October 26 and would raise this with her in that call. ¶2. (C) Poloff subsequently delivered reftel points, fact sheet, and non-paper to MFA Iran Desk Officer Lorenzo Kluzer. Econ Counselor did the same with the Director General for the Prevention of Financial Crimes in the Ministry of Finance, Giuseppe Maresca. Maresca told us that the Finance Ministry had been informed of the new measures earlier in the afternoon by U.S. Treasury Under Secretary McCormick. Maresca responded to our points by saying that the GOI would look "with extreme care" at the entities and individuals that we have named. He was especially interested in the Melli, Mellat and Saderat banks. He said the Italian Government Export Insurance Agency has dealings with these banks, but he noted that the banks do not have branches in Italy. He said he did not think there had been any recent transactions between the Italian Export Insurance Agency and these banks. Asked what he thought would be the GOI reaction to our actions and requests, he said again that the Italian government would look "with extreme care" at the entities we are designating. SPOGLI