IRAN ELECTION AFTERMATH: GERMAN MFA QUESTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000752

SIPDIS, NEA/IR, P STAFF, SAGSWA, EUR/CE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV GM IR
SUBJECT: IRAN ELECTION AFTERMATH: GERMAN MFA QUESTIONS
IRAN'S AMBASSADOR ON ACCUSATORY COMMENTS

Classified By: Acting Political Section Chief William Moeller for reaso
ns 1.4(b)/(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to
Berlin on June 22, a senior German MFA official raised
Germany's concerns about accusatory comments made by Iranian
officials against Western embassies in Tehran earlier that
day. According to an MFA contact, the Iranian ambassador
stated that while Iran considered comments about the Iranian
election by German politicians to be "disappointing," Iran
"distinguishes" between Germany and the U.K. and France, and
sought to reassure that steps against the U.K. were unlikely.
The Iran Desk added that the June 22 Iranian media report of
arrests of German "spies" was likely an outdated reference to
the brief detentions of German media technicians on the
sidelines of last week's demonstrations. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) German MFA Iran Desk officer Thomas Henzschel
provided Iran Watcher a readout of the June 22 meeting
between MFA Near Eastern Affairs A/S-equivalent Andreas
Michaelis with Iranian Ambassador to Germany Alireza Sheikh
Attar. Michaelis had "invited" ("not summoned" as reported
in the German media, emphasized Henzschel) Sheikh Attar to
discuss June 22 statements by Iranian MFA spokesman Hassan
Qashqavi, in which Qashqavi reportedly accused European
countries of interfering in the Iranian elections and of
supporting "some of the rioters." According to press
reports, Qashqavi also implied that Iranian missions
overseas, including in Germany, had been damaged during
protests with the host government's knowledge. (NOTE: This
is a reference to the vandalism and small fire set last week
at the Iranian Consulate General in Frankfurt).


3. (C) Henzschel reported that Sheikh Attar told Michaelis
that Iran distinguishes between how it should treat the
United Kingdom and France, on one hand, and Germany, on the
other. Sheikh Attar expressed the Iranian government's
"disappointment" with statements about the elections made by
German politicians, but noted that it seemed these statements
had been made "under pressure." He also noted that Germany
was applying double standards, as it had not raised concerns
about the Shah government's acts of violence against
protesters in 1978.


4. (C) Henzschel noted that Sheikh Attar also took a
relatively conciliatory line with Michaelis regarding the
situation of the U.K. Embassy in Tehran. Sheikh Attar told
Michaelis that in his tenure as a career diploamt, there had
been many calls by Iranian demonstrators to cut relations
with the British, but such a break had never come to pass.
Sheikh Attar noted that he had spoken with Iranian Deputy FM
Safari and that no actions against the European embassies in
Tehran had been planned. Henzschel commented that, while
normally very well-connected and -informed, it is not clear
if Sheikh Attar has access to key decisionmakers and
information in the aftermath of Iran's June 12 election.
(NOTE: Prior to becoming Ambassador to Germany, Sheikh Attar
was the Iranian MFA's Vice Foreign Minister (Deputy
Secretary-equivalent)).


5. (C) Henzschel noted that the British Foreign Office is
expecting several of its diplomats in Tehran to be declared
persona non grata. (NOTE: The U.K. government announced
later on June 22 that its embassy in Iran would move to
ordered departure for family members.) He also mentioned
German concern that the German Community School, located on
British Embassy property, may be forced to close in the
coming days before the conclusion of its school year.


6. (C) Regarding the June 22 Fars News report that German
"spies" had been arrested, Henzschel commented that the
Iranian government is likely recycling the fact that two
German journalists had been briefly detained "for their own
protection" on the sidelines of one of the demonstrations
last week. The German Embassy in Tehran has reported no new
arrest cases, he said.



Koenig