ZEBARI SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TRADE FOR THE THREE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002397 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2019 TAGS: PREL PTER CASC IR IZ SUBJECT: ZEBARI SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TRADE FOR THE THREE DETAINED AMCITS REF: BAGHDAD 2363 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Gary A. Grappo, for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari informed Pol M/C September 1 that Iranian FM Mottaki told him during his August 29 visit that Iran wants to trade the three Amcits detained since July 30 in exchange for seven Iranians held in Europe and the U.S. (NOTE: Zebari did not have information on which seven Iranians Mottaki was referring to. END NOTE.) Mottaki explained that his government wanted to use the three as hostages in bargaining for the detained Iranians. Among the European countries mentioned were Britain and France. Zebari said he advised Mottaki that the Iranian government should not try to play "such a dirty game" and told HIM it was bad idea. Mottaki also noted that it remained for the time being the policy of the Iranian government to deny publicly that it was holding the three Americans. ¶2. (C) According to Zebari, FM Mottaki had initially denied to him that Iran had the three in custody, a deception he had first used at a joint press conference following their discussions in Baghdad about the rise in tensions with Syria (reported Reftel). Zebari said he called him on the lie, noting that Iran's ambassador to Iraq, as well as a provincial governor in Kurdish Iran, had already admitted that Iran had the Americans in custody. Zebari said he was not sure about the charges or circumstances under which the Iranians were being held in custody. HILL