KUDOS TO IRPO AND IRAN WATCHERS FOR SUSTAINED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 066697

SENSITIVE

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX IZ TU UK GM AJ AE IR
SUBJECT: KUDOS TO IRPO AND IRAN WATCHERS FOR SUSTAINED
EXCELLENCE

REF: STATE 63812

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FROM NEA ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY JEFFREY FELTMAN


1. (SBU) On behalf of the Department and the wider government
community, I extend our sincere gratitude to each IRPO
officer and Iran Watcher for sustained excellence in
reporting on the continually changing situation in
post-election Iran.


2. (SBU) The disturbing events that have transpired in Iran
since June 12 were unanticipated by most of us. Without a
post in Iran and given the Iranian government crackdown on
its citizens, journalists, foreign diplomats, and most modes
of communication, our ability to get reliable news and make
sense of the situation here in Washington has proved most
difficult. But each one of you have assisted us in
overcoming these challenges by providing valuable information
and analyses based on your expertise in Iranian affairs,
discussions with your contacts, meetings with host government
interlocutors, and mining of a wide-range of local and
Iranian media and internet sources. Your work has
not gone without notice; I personally have received messages
of appreciation and know your reporting is being factored
into developing our policy responses to events.

-- IRPO's Kay McGowan, Charlie Pennypacker, and Brian Kelly:
Despite being short-staffed, you have ensured that IRPO
twice-a-day Iran Spot Reports are timely, dispassionate and
cover the key issues of interest to policy makers. In short,
you consistently distill the facts, provide valuable insight
and context, and avoid the fluff.

-- Ashgabat Iran Watcher Inger Tangborn: To reiterate (STATE
63812),I highly commend your recent cables providing a
snapshot of Iranian election perspectives. Of particular
interest to the 7th floor was your cable that captured the
"man on the street" views. The view of this socioeconomic
class is key to understanding Iran and Washington benefits
greatly from any insight into this group into which we have
minimal if any access.

--Baku Iran Watcher Richard McCrensky: Given the large Azeri
population in Iran and the Azeri origin of Iranian
Presidential candidate Mir Hussein Mousavi, the perspective
from Baku on the election and its aftermath has been of much
interest to the interagency community. And you went above and
beyond, providing a wide-range of perspectives from Azeri
officials, ordinary Azeri citizens and Iranians residing in
Azerbaijan.

--Baghdad Iran Watchers John Buzbee and Carrie Flinchbaugh:
As a neighbor with strong ties to Iran, Iraqi perspectives on
the situation in Iran are valuable. Both of you -- despite
the challenges of living and working in Baghdad -) have
obtained useful insights from a number of sources. Your
discussions with Iraqi President Talabani were of particular
interest given his close relationship with Iranian officials.


-- Berlin Iran Watcher Kari Paetzold: Not only do I
appreciate your reporting based on your discussions with
established contacts, but also your up-to-date insightful
reporting on the German government,s reaction to the
elections. I also note your timely responses, even during
your weekend, to urgent Washington requests to clarify rumors
that foreign diplomatic posts in Tehran were providing
medical services to wounded Iranian protestors.

--Istanbul Iran Watcher Geoff Odlum: Thank you for your
outstanding series of cables that covered a wide-range of
election-related issues from the use of Facebook by Iranian
citizens, to a former IRGC member,s belief that the election
was an IRGC coup, to a perspective on behind-the-scenes
election monitoring. These cables contribute to our efforts

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to understand what Iranians believe happened during the
election and how they are responding to developments.

--London Watcher Michael Gayle: I appreciate not only your
reports based on discussions with your well-established,
well-placed contacts, but also your ability to obtain
up-to-date information and perspectives from HMG officials.
Your ability to develop strong cooperative working
relationships with the FCO and other UK officials has
benefited all of us.

Best,

Jeff
CLINTON