EU OFFICIALS REQUEST INFORMATION ON SANCTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001354 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/RA, EUR/ERA, NEA/IR E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IAEA IR PREL EUN SUBJECT: EU OFFICIALS REQUEST INFORMATION ON SANCTIONS REF: STATE 99897 Classified By: DEPUTY POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR MARY T. CURTIN FOR R EASON 1.4 B/D ¶1. (SBU) On September 29 USEU officers delivered reftel points on the Iranian covert reactor site at Qom to Hans Grundberg, who handles the Iran portfolio for the Swedish EU Presidency. We reviewed points again the following day with EU Council Secretariat Iran desk officer Lene Hove. Neither had significant questions or a substantive response to our talking points. ¶2. (C/NF) Conversely, both EU officials requested information from the U.S. on economic sanctions. The officials sought analysis of both the effectiveness of existing sanctions regimes and of potential sanctions options. (Note: Existing EU Iran sanctions are narrowly targeted at individuals and entities linked to proliferation.) We have had similar requests from other key interlocutors, such as the Spanish Political Counselor (Spain will take over as EU President from Sweden.) Hove also reminded us that for the EU to reach consensus decisions on Iran, EU capitals would need to send instructions to Brussels. She said the U.S. would therefore also have to focus diplomatic efforts in the 27 EU capitals. USEU will report the state of play on autonomous EU/Iran sanctions SEPTEL. MURRAY .