Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAKU762
2009-09-24 12:01:00
SECRET
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
SOURCES CLAIM RAFSANJANI, HASSAN KHOMEINI, AND
how-toVZCZCXRO3333 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHTRO DE RUEHKB #0762 2671201 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 241201Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1790 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0164 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
S E C R E T BAKU 000762
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2009
TAGS: PGOV KISL AJ IR
SUBJECT: SOURCES CLAIM RAFSANJANI, HASSAN KHOMEINI, AND
KHAMEINI MET BEFORE EID - OR DIDN'T
REF: A. A) BAKU 759
B. B) BAKU 695
Classified By: POLECON COUNSELOR ROB GARVERICK, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
S E C R E T BAKU 000762
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2009
TAGS: PGOV KISL AJ IR
SUBJECT: SOURCES CLAIM RAFSANJANI, HASSAN KHOMEINI, AND
KHAMEINI MET BEFORE EID - OR DIDN'T
REF: A. A) BAKU 759
B. B) BAKU 695
Classified By: POLECON COUNSELOR ROB GARVERICK, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (S) Citing Rafsanjani family sources (which he refused
to name),Hooshang, a University of Tehran Sociology
professor and Iranian politics researcher told Baku Iran
Watcher on September 23 that Ayatollah Rafsanjani and Hassan
Khomeini (a grandson of the Ayatollah) met with Supreme
Leader Khameini at his request sometime during the week of
September 14 (possibly after Qods Day). According to
Hooshang (who arrived in Baku from Tehran on September 18,
and is now en route to deliver papers at several conferences
in the United States),the purpose of the meeting three was
to seek "a political solution suitable for THEM" (his
emphasis). He said that one upshot of this meeting was the
attendance of Rafsanjani, Karroubi, and some other insider
"oppositionists" at Khameini's September 20 Eid al-Fitr
sermon.
2. (S) Hooshang cited this alleged development, and the
conciliatory aspects of Khameini's September 20 Eid sermon,
as evidence that Khameini is attempting to extricate himself
from blame for the election issue in the mind of senior
clerics. Nonetheless, Hooshang expressed skepticism that
Khameini still retains enough political maneuvering room to
reach a compromise that will exculpate him from his earlier
political actions, and/or be acceptable to all sides. (Note
and Comment: The question of whether some kind of
tri-partite contact occurred is still confused. Other
sources claim that there was no pre-Eid meeting, but that
telephone calls were exchanged among the three. Ali Khomeini
told yet another source on September 16 that (up to that
time) no contact between the three individuals had recently
occurred (ref b). End Note and Comment).
3. (S) Hooshang claims to have established a considerable
network of contacts associated with Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi,
and was the source of comments on this figure related in ref
(b). He provided new details on Mesbah-Yazdi's alleged
network, and his analysis of "successful" opposition protests
on Quds Day, septels.
LU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2009
TAGS: PGOV KISL AJ IR
SUBJECT: SOURCES CLAIM RAFSANJANI, HASSAN KHOMEINI, AND
KHAMEINI MET BEFORE EID - OR DIDN'T
REF: A. A) BAKU 759
B. B) BAKU 695
Classified By: POLECON COUNSELOR ROB GARVERICK, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (S) Citing Rafsanjani family sources (which he refused
to name),Hooshang, a University of Tehran Sociology
professor and Iranian politics researcher told Baku Iran
Watcher on September 23 that Ayatollah Rafsanjani and Hassan
Khomeini (a grandson of the Ayatollah) met with Supreme
Leader Khameini at his request sometime during the week of
September 14 (possibly after Qods Day). According to
Hooshang (who arrived in Baku from Tehran on September 18,
and is now en route to deliver papers at several conferences
in the United States),the purpose of the meeting three was
to seek "a political solution suitable for THEM" (his
emphasis). He said that one upshot of this meeting was the
attendance of Rafsanjani, Karroubi, and some other insider
"oppositionists" at Khameini's September 20 Eid al-Fitr
sermon.
2. (S) Hooshang cited this alleged development, and the
conciliatory aspects of Khameini's September 20 Eid sermon,
as evidence that Khameini is attempting to extricate himself
from blame for the election issue in the mind of senior
clerics. Nonetheless, Hooshang expressed skepticism that
Khameini still retains enough political maneuvering room to
reach a compromise that will exculpate him from his earlier
political actions, and/or be acceptable to all sides. (Note
and Comment: The question of whether some kind of
tri-partite contact occurred is still confused. Other
sources claim that there was no pre-Eid meeting, but that
telephone calls were exchanged among the three. Ali Khomeini
told yet another source on September 16 that (up to that
time) no contact between the three individuals had recently
occurred (ref b). End Note and Comment).
3. (S) Hooshang claims to have established a considerable
network of contacts associated with Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi,
and was the source of comments on this figure related in ref
(b). He provided new details on Mesbah-Yazdi's alleged
network, and his analysis of "successful" opposition protests
on Quds Day, septels.
LU