Iranian Visa Applicants Talk about the Crisis.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000870

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV CVIS IR TK
SUBJECT: Iranian Visa Applicants Talk about the Crisis.

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SUMMARY
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1.(SBU) Ankara's Iranian visa applicants confirm news reports of
continuing anti-regime demonstrations and violence throughout the
country. Virtually one hundred percent of applicants queried
believe the result of the presidential election was corrupted. Few
will risk projecting what lies ahead for Iran, but all favor major
change.

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WIDESPREAD DISSENT
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2. (SBU) Conoff queried a cross-section of visa applicants on June
22 for their opinions and observations about the recent events in
Iran. All applicants reported being extremely unsatisfied with the
results of the June 12 election. One applicant stated it was not an
election, it "was a coup d'tat." Another applicant, after
receiving his visa remained in the waiting room until all other had
left. He then approached conoff and implored the embassy to have
our President back the people of Iran in their quest for democracy.


(3) (SBU) Applicants have confirmed that these demonstrations are
widespread, the largest naturally being in Tehran, but others have
also seen or heard from family about demonstrations in Rasht,
Tabriz, Shiraz, Isfahan, and even the very conservative city of
Mashaad. In the latter city, the applicant stated the demonstrators
were students and the protests were confined to the University area.
There does not appear to be any attempt by the GOI to prohibit free
travel as none of our applicants reported any extra security at
Tehran airport.

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EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS
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(4)(U) A University of Tehran student headed to the University of
Michigan was a participant in Saturday's demonstration that took
place between Azadi Square and Revolution Square. This man said he
has been a participant in the past in different student
demonstrations, but in past years there had been no blood shedding.
On Saturday he reported seeing as many as 100 individuals who had
been injured by the thousands of security personnel he identified as
Revolutionary Guards. He witnessed the Revolutionary Guards destroy
one of the university's dormitories and estimated there were
5000-6000 guards in the area. He saw students hurling rocks at the
guards who responded by beating them with batons. He did not see
any guards shoot anyone, but said he saw a number of people who had
injuries that he believed were gunshot wounds.


(5) (SBU) He told conoff that his initial fear abated as the
righteousness of the cause took hold. He also said he has no fear
in going back and plans to continue to demonstrate against the
government until his visa to America is ready. He described the
demonstrations as not being led by any one person, but the entire
community standing up to Khameni. He said the media coverage was
very slanted and GOI was broadcasting that the crisis was a result
of foreign influence, specifically the United States and Britain.
He ended the conversation by saying that he believed that June 12
was the "last election in Iran" and that both he and his father, who
participated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, thought a major change
was imminent.


(6) (U) Another student visa applicant from the University of Tehran
heading to Columbia University gave a passionate account of the
atmospherics in the city of Tehran. He said that he was ashamed of
his nation after the GOI told its citizens that Mahmoud Amadinejad
had received between 63-69% of the vote in all regions of the
country. This led him to participate in the demonstation on Monday,
June 15, from Iman Hussein Square to Azadi square. He too stated
that the demonstration does not have any leaders, it is the people
who want their vote back who are collectively in charge. He spoke
emotionally about Neda, the psychology student who was killed on
Saturday and whose death was widely broadcast after being captured
on a cell phone. He stated that anyone who could kill an innocent
girl was an animal. He said there were many brave people
demonstrating, even his parents and siblings who he described as
being generally apolitical. He also confirmed that there were large
numbers of women in these groups and that he considered them very
brave.

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COMMENT
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ANKARA 00000870 002 OF 002




(7) (U) Iran's visa applicants are usually reticent to speak openly
with USG officials about internal Iranian issues. But on the
subject of the current crisis in Iran, there is genuine anger and
little restraint in telling us their story.

Jeffrey