(C) UK REQUESTS INFORMATION ON BANK MELLAT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000257 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019 TAGS: EFIN ETTC KNNP IR UK SUBJECT: (C) UK REQUESTS INFORMATION ON BANK MELLAT TO SHARE WITH MALAYSIA Classified By: KATHLEEN DOHERTY, ECONOMIC COUNSELOR FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. ¶1. (C) Foreign Office (FCO) officials requested from us January 27 all releasable information on Bank Mellat's support for Iran's nuclear regime that their mission can share with the Malaysian government - ideally before the High Commissioner's next meeting with Malaysian officials the week of February 2. FCO has information a deal is brewing between Bank Mellat and Malaysian entities in the free trade zone, and the UK's High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur is pressing the case against Bank Mellat with Malaysian authorities. FCO understands this request may have already made it through to Washington's interagency channels. ¶2. (C) FCO, eager to shut down any avenue to Iran's proliferation regime, proposes a joint P3 demarche in Kuala Lumpur, saying the French are already on board. Action Request: Please pass to Embassies London, Paris and Kuala Lumpur any information on Bank Mellat's proliferation activities that can be shared with the Malaysian government. An explanation of how USG (and any potential EU or UN) sanctions could be applied to Malaysia would also be persuasive. Finally, please advise whether to pursue a joint US-UK-French demarche in Kuala Lumpur. Post appreciates Washington's support. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom TUTTLE