SOUTH AFRICA: EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN;

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 002018 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA MOGIELLO, BEDKE, AND HEIDLBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2019 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IAEA PREL AORC IR SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA: EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN; ADDRESSING IRAN'S COVERT URANIUM FACILITY REF: A. STATE 99897 ¶B. STATE 95073 Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Walter N. Pflaumer for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Embassy delivered REF A message on Iran's covert uranium enrichment facility at Qom jointly with the UK High Commission and the Embassy of France to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). In light of the September 27 - October 1 visit of South African Deputy Foreign Minister to Tehran, Post also deployed the message in Ref B, urging South Africa to use its good offices to encourage Iran to respond constructively to the P5 1 requests for engagement on nuclear compliance. DIRCO Deputy Director for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament agreed to convey our message to Iran but did not offer encouragement regarding Pretoria'a willingness to serve as an intermediary. End summary. ¶2. (C) Embassy of France Political Officer Charles Tellier, UK High Commission Political Officer Jason Rheinberg, and Deputy Political Counselor called on DIRCO Deputy Director for Nuclear Disarmament and Nonproliferation Johann Kellerman on October 1 to deliver REF A message. Kellerman said South Africa was taken aback to learn of the enrichment facility near Qom and was concerned that the initial information on the site had come from the U.S., the UK, and France -- rather than being disclosed by Iran. Kellerman said Pretoria stands with the international community in anticipation of further information and is waiting for the outcome of talks in Geneva. Kellerman reminded us that South Africa has consistently called on Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA. ¶3. (C) Kellerman underscored that South Africa is on record as opposed to a weaponized Iran. South Africa also remains adamant that no country, including Iran, should be deprived of its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Article Four rights to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Kellerman stressed that Pretoria has called on Iran to comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He explained that while South Africa prefers to handle issues involving Iran's compliance with the IAEA within the IAEA, Pretoria fully accepts that UNSC Chapter Seven resolutions leave no "wiggle room." Kellerman noted that the SAG prefers to handle treaty matters within the IAEA because that is where the expertise is to deal with complex technical issues. ¶4. (C) Kellerman said the SAG is not sure what the next step will be. Rheinberg noted that UK Prime Minister Brown is looking at tougher sanctions. Kellerman said that the SAG prefers dialogue, and he welcomed President Obama's statements in this regard. Iran's decision to begin building the Qom facility in secret while it was still part of the IAEA safeguard regime was not logical, Dep POL Counselor commented, and Kellerman agreed. Drawing on Ref B points, Dep POL called on the SAG to use its considerable influence to help Tehran see the opportunities and risks it is facing. French POLOFF Tellier asked whether Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim was planning to use his visit to Tehran to deliver a nonproliferation message. Surprisingly, Kellerman said the Deputy Minister did not plan to raise the issue but had asked QDeputy Minister did not plan to raise the issue but had asked Kellerman to provide "if-asked" points for the visit. 5.(C) Comment: Kellerman engaged Emboffs in a wide-ranging discussion. As the meeting broke-up, Kellerman expressed eagerness to receive the Einhorn visit follow-up non-papers in the coming days and to move forward on next steps in the SAG-USG bilateral dialogue. LA LIME