Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT218
2009-02-13 12:59:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN/IRAN: WEAPONS FOUND HIDDEN IN IRANIAN
how-toP 131259Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2320 INFO ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE CIS COLLECTIVE EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IRAN COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMCONSUL DUBAI AMCONSUL ISTANBUL CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL CIA WASHDC DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC NSC WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC
S E C R E T ASHGABAT 000218
NOFORN
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PREL PTER TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/IRAN: WEAPONS FOUND HIDDEN IN IRANIAN
EMBASSY SHIPMENT
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
S E C R E T ASHGABAT 000218
NOFORN
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PREL PTER TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/IRAN: WEAPONS FOUND HIDDEN IN IRANIAN
EMBASSY SHIPMENT
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) A Turkmen customs official told an Embassy LES on
February 13 that an Iranian Embassy diplomatic container with
AK-47's, sniper rifles and ammunition hidden in it had been
discovered one week earlier at the Serdar Uli (Gaudan)
customs point in Ashgabat, where vehicles and containers
arriving from or bound for Iran are inspected. The weapons
were reportedly hidden underneath two Turkmen carpets that
the Iranian Embassy was shipping to Iran.
2. (S/NF) The LES went to the Ashgabat Customs Point (a
different location) to inquire about an Embassy pouch
shipment arriving by truck, and an issue arose about opening
the Embassy's container for inspection. The customs
official, who is a close friend of LES, then brought up the
Iranian container incident. He said that a local shipping
employee of the Iranian Embassy had been present when another
official, acting on a "hunch that something was not right,"
opened the Iranian Embassy container. The customs official
told LES that the official who discovered the cache was
honored for his actions and received a promotion.
3. (S/NF) COMMENT: Turkmenistan imposes stringent controls
on the importation of any type of firearm, and Chiefs of
Missions' security detail are all unarmed. Even assuming
that the weapons in question were intended for the Iranian
Embassy's internal security, this would not explain the
presence of offensive weapons such as sniper rifles, in the
cache. The Embassy has no official confirmation about the
incident, which was, we note, relayed second-hand to our LES.
END COMMENT.
MILES
NOFORN
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
TAGS: IR PGOV PREL PTER TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/IRAN: WEAPONS FOUND HIDDEN IN IRANIAN
EMBASSY SHIPMENT
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) A Turkmen customs official told an Embassy LES on
February 13 that an Iranian Embassy diplomatic container with
AK-47's, sniper rifles and ammunition hidden in it had been
discovered one week earlier at the Serdar Uli (Gaudan)
customs point in Ashgabat, where vehicles and containers
arriving from or bound for Iran are inspected. The weapons
were reportedly hidden underneath two Turkmen carpets that
the Iranian Embassy was shipping to Iran.
2. (S/NF) The LES went to the Ashgabat Customs Point (a
different location) to inquire about an Embassy pouch
shipment arriving by truck, and an issue arose about opening
the Embassy's container for inspection. The customs
official, who is a close friend of LES, then brought up the
Iranian container incident. He said that a local shipping
employee of the Iranian Embassy had been present when another
official, acting on a "hunch that something was not right,"
opened the Iranian Embassy container. The customs official
told LES that the official who discovered the cache was
honored for his actions and received a promotion.
3. (S/NF) COMMENT: Turkmenistan imposes stringent controls
on the importation of any type of firearm, and Chiefs of
Missions' security detail are all unarmed. Even assuming
that the weapons in question were intended for the Iranian
Embassy's internal security, this would not explain the
presence of offensive weapons such as sniper rifles, in the
cache. The Embassy has no official confirmation about the
incident, which was, we note, relayed second-hand to our LES.
END COMMENT.
MILES