Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08IRANRPODUBAI9
2008-03-04 14:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Iran RPO Dubai
Cable title:  

OPEN KIDNEY SALES IN IRAN

Tags:  TBIO SOCI ECON IR 
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VZCZCXRO4667
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHDIR #0009/01 0641425
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041425Z MAR 08
FM IRAN RPO DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0229
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY 0222
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 0203
RUEHAD/USDAO ABU DHABI TC
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0171
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000009 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/4/2018
TAGS: TBIO SOCI ECON IR
SUBJECT: OPEN KIDNEY SALES IN IRAN

RPO DUBAI 00000009 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jillian Burns, Director, Iran Regional Presence
Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000009

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/4/2018
TAGS: TBIO SOCI ECON IR
SUBJECT: OPEN KIDNEY SALES IN IRAN

RPO DUBAI 00000009 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jillian Burns, Director, Iran Regional Presence
Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1.(C) Summary: According to two Iranian doctors, kidney sales
in the Islamic Republic of Iran are legal and regulated; others
maintain sales of kidneys are not technically legal but widely
tolerated. The practice is overseen by two NGOs, a foundation
for kidney patients and a foundation for special diseases. The
kidney providers and recipients connect either through these
NGOs or link up personally through newspaper or posted-street
advertisements, where the provider and recipient reach a deal
and then consult a transplant center. Kidneys typically sell
for 2-5 million tomans, approximately $2-5000. According to the
doctors, there is no excessive health risk to the donors -- as
long as nothing goes wrong with their remaining kidney. End
summary.

NGOs and transplant centers facilitate kidney sales and
transplants

-------------- --------------
--------------

2.(C) Based on conversations with two Iranian doctors, an
anesthesiologist and a forensic pathologist, kidney sales in
Iran are legal and regulated. The practice is overseen by two
NGOs, a foundation for kidney patients and a foundation for
special diseases. According to these doctors, there is no
excessive health risk to the donors -- as long as nothing goes
wrong with their remaining kidney. Other doctors have said they
did not believe the practice of selling kidneys was technically
legal but that the practice was widespread.

3.(C) The anesthesiologist described the process in Iran of
selling kidneys as uncomplicated: some donors and recipients
contact the regulating centers that locate a match, organize
compatibility tests, and arrange for the operation. Recipients
often offer donors money after the transplant. Others seeking
to sell their kidneys place an ad in a newspaper or other site
explaining their physical condition such as sex, age, blood
type, health, and lifestyle, providing a telephone number for
potential buyers. If a deal is reached, the two parties consult

a transplant center where they get evaluated, followed by the
surgery. Both doctors claimed that the current rate for a
kidney varies between 2-5 million tomans, or approximately
$2-5000.

4.(C) According to the forensic doctor, transplant doctors in
major centers in large cities like Tehran, Esfahan, and Shiraz
perform the surgery. He also said that each center has its own
criteria and regulations for accepting transplant candidates;
the center in Shiraz only accepts kidney transplants between
relatives, but some other centers accept non-related donors and
recipients.

5.(C) The doctors had no information on underground trade of
kidneys outside Iran. According to a BBC article from October
31 2006, every year 1400 Iranians sell their kidneys on the
international black market for organs, and medical agencies
facilitate the trade.

Desperate kidney traders

--------------

6.(C) The two doctors acknowledged that financial pressure
motivate most of the kidney sellers. The transplant doctor
discussed the bitter realities behind most of these
transactions, claiming that many of the sellers are young drug
addicts with no hope for the future and others are just
desperately poor. He said he had recently heard a rumored story
of a man who sold a kidney to raise money for his daughter's
dowry.

Religious concerns

--------------

7.(C) The forensic pathologist explained that the most common
and successful organ transplants in Iran are that of corneas.
He said Imam Khomeini approved cornea transplantation and
preservation of corneas from human cadavers for use in Iran.
The Imam's fatwa also allowed organ donation after death for
humanitarian reasons, presumably both for scientific research
and transplant. He said that despite Khomeini's fatwa, there is

RPO DUBAI 00000009 002.2 OF 002


a cultural objection to organ donation after death, mainly for
fear of disrespect to the body as well as morality concerns that
bodies would be exposed to the opposite sex. The doctor, who
described himself as a religious man, said he does not know of
anything in the Koran that bans transplant of organs. He said
Islam requires one to save one's body from harm, which could be
an argument against organ donation during life. (Note: Neither
doctor questioned the practice of selling organs or addressed
the religious view of selling organs. Endnote)

8.(C) On a related note, the forensic scientist wished that
religious leaders would give a fatwa to reassure people
regarding biopsies, as he faces similar morality concerns in his
field of work. He called Khomeini progressive for endorsing the
medical use of autopsies and organs for medical studies that
would help human beings. He wished this would go a step farther
to encourage organ donations, negating the taboo of autopsies;
however, he said, the current leader is no Khomeini and would
never do such a thing. He said currently Iranian medical school
import bodies of non-Iranian and non-Moslems, mainly from India,
for medical schools. He said some judges are currently claiming
that the body of each Moslem is the property of their families
or the property of their town mayor.
BURNS