Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1045
2009-08-18 12:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
AN IRANIAN UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE'S VIEW FROM THE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001045
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PHUM PREL TX UNESCO
SUBJECT: AN IRANIAN UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE'S VIEW FROM THE
INSIDE
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001045
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PHUM PREL TX UNESCO
SUBJECT: AN IRANIAN UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE'S VIEW FROM THE
INSIDE
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) On August 13, Public Affairs Officer hosted UNESCO
Educational Program Officer, G. Reza Samarbakhsh for a
discussion of joint programming opportunities. Samarbakhsh,
an Iranian citizen, works out of the UNESCO Tehran Cluster
Office, but has oversight of UNESCO educational programs in
Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. He visits
Turkmenistan on a quarterly basis, and is very interested in
working with the USG on potential projects of joint interest.
Prior to discussing these projects, Samarbakhsh gave PAO an
outline of the current atmosphere in Tehran and the education
system in Iran.
2. (C) Samarbakhsh reported that contrary to reports in the
mainstream media, regular protests continue in Tehran. He
estimated that there are over 5,000 new political prisoners
in Iranian jails after this summer's post-election protests
and that hundreds have already been executed. Despite a
government clamp-down, protests continue. In downtown
Tehran, every night between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. people go to
their balconies, covered in their robes or behind screens,
and scream epithets denouncing the regime. He said that in
his over 50 years of living in Iran, he had never seen such
vivid displays of defiance. Samarbakhsh posited that those
protesting are not related to a specific political party, but
are simply tired of repression and denial of their "basic
human rights."
3. (C) He said that there is a growing hatred of Russia in
Iran, as many of the violent "police" that were brought in
from villages to quell the protests in the cities were
purportedly trained by the Russians.
4. (C) With regard to Iranian education, he described an
ever-worsening situation. The latest statistics from the
Iranian Ministry of Education show that 5% of students do not
finish primary school, 12% do not make it through
intermediate school, and 18% do not finish secondary school.
This growing population of illiterate and undereducated
people is a major focus of UNESCO education efforts in Iran.
5. (C) Finally, Samarbakhsh described the numerous business
and personal ties that intertwine the leadership with the
"so-called opposition." He said that traditional Iranian
norms of protecting those with whom you have business
interactions or family ties would prevent any of the
well-known opposition figures from facing any form of severe
persecution.
MILES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PHUM PREL TX UNESCO
SUBJECT: AN IRANIAN UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE'S VIEW FROM THE
INSIDE
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) On August 13, Public Affairs Officer hosted UNESCO
Educational Program Officer, G. Reza Samarbakhsh for a
discussion of joint programming opportunities. Samarbakhsh,
an Iranian citizen, works out of the UNESCO Tehran Cluster
Office, but has oversight of UNESCO educational programs in
Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. He visits
Turkmenistan on a quarterly basis, and is very interested in
working with the USG on potential projects of joint interest.
Prior to discussing these projects, Samarbakhsh gave PAO an
outline of the current atmosphere in Tehran and the education
system in Iran.
2. (C) Samarbakhsh reported that contrary to reports in the
mainstream media, regular protests continue in Tehran. He
estimated that there are over 5,000 new political prisoners
in Iranian jails after this summer's post-election protests
and that hundreds have already been executed. Despite a
government clamp-down, protests continue. In downtown
Tehran, every night between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. people go to
their balconies, covered in their robes or behind screens,
and scream epithets denouncing the regime. He said that in
his over 50 years of living in Iran, he had never seen such
vivid displays of defiance. Samarbakhsh posited that those
protesting are not related to a specific political party, but
are simply tired of repression and denial of their "basic
human rights."
3. (C) He said that there is a growing hatred of Russia in
Iran, as many of the violent "police" that were brought in
from villages to quell the protests in the cities were
purportedly trained by the Russians.
4. (C) With regard to Iranian education, he described an
ever-worsening situation. The latest statistics from the
Iranian Ministry of Education show that 5% of students do not
finish primary school, 12% do not make it through
intermediate school, and 18% do not finish secondary school.
This growing population of illiterate and undereducated
people is a major focus of UNESCO education efforts in Iran.
5. (C) Finally, Samarbakhsh described the numerous business
and personal ties that intertwine the leadership with the
"so-called opposition." He said that traditional Iranian
norms of protecting those with whom you have business
interactions or family ties would prevent any of the
well-known opposition figures from facing any form of severe
persecution.
MILES