SHIELD S05-07: IRAN SEEKING TOACQUIRE CW

S E C R E T VIENNA 002448 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR ISN/CB AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2017 TAGS: PARM PREL ETT IR AU SUBJECT: SHIELD S05-07: IRAN SEEKING TOACQUIRE CW PRECURSORS FROM AUSTRIAN COMPANY (S) REF: A) VIENNA 1407 B) STATE 67737 ClassifiedBy: Economic-Political Counselor Dean Yap for reasns 1.4 (b),(c),(d),and (h). ¶1. (S) Helmut rehlik, Head of the Ministry of Economics' (MoE)Export and Import Control Division told EconPol ounselor and EconUnit Chief on September 19 that Astrian authorities had determined that Interchem Austria had recently shipped a licensable chemical precursor to an Iranian entity. According to Krehlik, officials from the MoE and the Austrian intelligence service (BVT) had visited the company in the summer following information from the USG (reftels). At the time, according to Krehlik, the GoA reiterated to Interchem that it must apply for a license to ship any chemical precursors. Despite the GoA warning, Interchem proceeded with the shipment. ¶2. (S) The GoA will soon charge Interchem's CEO with violating Austria's Foreign Trade Act. In Krehlik's opinion, the GoA's case is very strong; the only question is whether Interchem shipped the precursors to a military entity, in which case the CEO would face a maximum sentence of five years. Otherwise, the maximum sentence would be three years. ¶3. (S) Krehlik promised to provide post with further information, as the GoA case against Interchem develops. McCaw