IRAN-ROXANNA SABERI'S CONTINUED DETENTION

S E C R E T LONDON 000731 SENSITIVE NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2029 TAGS: CASC IR JA PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PROP PTER UK SUBJECT: IRAN-ROXANNA SABERI'S CONTINUED DETENTION Classified By: Classified By: Counselor for Political Affairs Rick Mills, Reasons 1.4 (b,c,d) ¶1. (S/NF) The UK Embassy Tehran on 18 March raised Roxanna Saberi's case at EU Heads of Mission in Tehran and asked the Presidency to include her detention in the next EU demarche on human rights to IRIG, London Iran Watcher learned on March 24 from FCO Iran Coordination Group. FCO also asked Poloff about Saberi's possible Japanese citizenship and whether or not USG and/or Japanese authorities will pursue this aspect of her case. ¶2. (SBU/NF) Poloff suggested to FCO Iran Coordination Group the possible inclusion of HMG views of the Saberi case in Ambassador Adams' brief at the April 2 Iran seminar that the Secretary and Foreign Secretary Miliband will chair. ¶3. (S/NF) Separately, Poloff met March 24 with Political Director Mark Lyall Grant's Special Assistant Justin Bedford, who referred to a previous outreach on the Saberi case to UK Embassy in Tehran by PM Brown's chief of staff. According to Bedford, Grant and senior HMG officials are quite aware of and concerned about the Saberi case. Bedford said the UK Embassy in Tehran will continue to follow up with Iranian authorities. ¶4. (C/NF) In support of HMG efforts on Ms. Saberi's behalf, we request any appropriate information from Department which Embassy London could share with HMG on whether an approach to Tokyo is being considered and on any advocacy efforts on her behalf by other embassies in Tehran, coordination of which with UK Embassy Tehran's efforts might, in Department's view, work to Ms. Saberi's benefit. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom LEBARON