IRAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS -- GREECE SUPPORTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000377 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TO MODIFY PRIMARY TAGS) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2018 TAGS: PGOV IR KDEM PHUM PREL GR SUBJECT: IRAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS -- GREECE SUPPORTS EU PRESIDENCY STATEMENT - C O R R E C T E D C O P Y TO MODIFY PRIMARY TAG REF: STATE 25587 Classified By: A/Political Counselor Jeff Hovenier for 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) A/Political Counselor raised reftel points on encouraging an EU Presidency statement on the flaws in Iran's March 14 Parliamentary elections with MFA A6 Directorate for Arab Countries and the Middle East Deputy Director Giorgos Ayfandis. Ayfandis said that EU President/Slovenia will issue a statement on the elections on behalf of the EU; the text is currently under discussion. Ayfandis termed te area identified by the U.S. as deserving of focus to be "completely in sync" with the EU discussion. He anticipated that the EU Presidency statement would call attention to the disqualification of "very many" candidates, restrictions on the freedom of press, and other "problems" in the pre-electoral period. Ayfandis said that Greece places a high priority on ensuring that the U.S. and EU statements are "strongly similar," as a U.S./EU "unified position" will receive greater attention from Tehran. He welcomed our points and approach and said Greece will do what it can to ensure the EU line on the elections is similar to the U.S. line. SPECKHARD