DEMARCHE REQUEST: URGING IRAN TO RESOLVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001084 SIPDIS NEA/IR, P, NSC E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PROP PTER CASC SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: URGING IRAN TO RESOLVE MISSING/DETAINED AMCIT CASES REF: SECSTATE 94757 Classified By: DCM Elizabeth L. Dibble, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) DCM Dibble conveyed reftel points to Director General for the Middle East Cesare Ragaglini, who promised to discuss them with the Iranian Ambassador to Rome at the earliest opportunity. ¶2. (C) Separately, Poloff also delivered points to Iran desk Silvia Santangelo and to Office Director Sergio Quierolo Palmas. Santangelo was receptive to points, and noted that Italy is already at work, with the EU, on the cases of French researcher Clothilde Reiss and of the British embassy employee still in custody. ¶3. (C) Office Director Quierolo Palmas commented on the difficulty of approaching the Iranians on cases related to third country nationals, noting that the Iranian diplomats immediately bristle and ask "why are you discussing this with us?" He suggested that the MFA would seek an opportunity to fold these points into another discussion with the Iranians. In his view, the case of the three American hikers ought to be "easy," while those of the dual nationals were more problematic. ¶4. (C) On September 22, the Iran desk reported that the discussion with the Iranians had not yet taken place, but that DG Ragaglini expected to discuss the issue with the Iranians in NY during UNGA. THORNE