JAPAN PASSES MESSAGE FROM IRAN REQUESTING RELEASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001999

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR P AND NEA/IRAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER AF JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN PASSES MESSAGE FROM IRAN REQUESTING RELEASE
OF IRANIANS ALLEGEDLY DETAINED BY U.S. FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James Zumwalt for reasons 1.4(b) and (
d)


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. Please see paragraph 6.


2. (C) SUMMARY: Japanese MOFA officials called on Embassy
Tokyo's Political Minister Counselor to convey a request from
the Iranian MOI Director General for Security that the U.S.
release eleven Iranian nationals detained in Western
Afghanistan on or about June 4. Allegedly, nine of the
people in question are members of a smuggling group, "Nemat
Shahbaksh," and the remaining two are kidnap victims held by
the group. Further details, such as names, are lacking, but
the Japanese are willing to request additional information
from the Iranians if we choose to take action on this
request. The Iranian request to contact the U.S. was made to
the Japanese in Tehran on June 14, and there has been no
subsequent follow-up request from the Iranians, either in
Tehran or in Tokyo. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) On July 18, MOFA Second Middle East Division Director
Katsuhiko Takahashi, accompanied by Iran Unit Chief Takashi
Kamada and Terrorism Prevention Division Director Hiroshi
Yamauchi, called on Political Minister Counselor Michael
Meserve to convey a request from the Iranian government that
the United States release to the Afghan government eleven
Iranian nationals being held by the U.S. in Afghanistan.
According to Takahashi, this request came from Seyyed Mohsen
Sadeghi, Ministry of Interior Director General of Security
and Advisor to the Minister. Sadeghi met on June 14, 2008,
with Japanese Ambassador to Tehran Akio Shirota in connection
with the release that day of a Japanese hostage who had been
held since October 2007 by an Iranian criminal gang, "Dullah
Shahbaksh." In the course of their meeting, Sadeghi -- in
what appeared to be an aside -- asked Shirota to pass a
message to the United States.


4. (C) Sadeghi told Shirota that on or about June 4, eleven
Iranian nationals had been detained by U.S. forces operating
in Western Afghanistan, who suspected they were members of
the Taliban. In fact, said Sadeghi, nine of the individuals
were members of Nemat Shahbaksh, a smuggling gang with close
ties to Dullah Shahbaksh, the group that kidnapped the
Japanese student. The other two individuals were kidnap
victims who were being held hostage by the other nine. All
are Iranians. Sadeghi asked Shirota if Japan would ask the
U.S. to release these criminals and their victims to the
Afghan government, which would then turn them over to the
Iranians. Shirota undertook to convey the message.


5. (C) Takahashi explained that he was delivering this
message so Japan can go back to the Iranians and advise them
it has been passed. He said that other than Sadeghi's
conversation with Shirota, his government has heard nothing
else from Iran on this matter, either in Tehran or in Tokyo.
In addition, he noted that he has no further information
concerning the detained Iranians, such as names,
descriptions, or the exact place and time of their arrest.
He said Japan is willing to seek more details from Iran if
the U.S. wishes to follow up.


6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy requests instructions on how
to reply to MOFA with regard to whether the USG will take
action on this request, or whether we should simply inform
them the message has been passed to the Department.
ZUMWALT