IRAN INVITE TO EMBASSY TOKYO NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001241 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/J, NEA/IR, S/CPR, AND D STAFF PAMELA PARK E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2019 TAGS: PREL ODIP IR JA SUBJECT: IRAN INVITE TO EMBASSY TOKYO NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION REF: A. STATE 55537 ¶B. 08 TOKYO 710 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jim Zumwalt for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Tokyo seeks guidance on whether to invite Iranian Ambassador to Tokyo Seyed Abbas Araghchi to our national day reception. ¶2. (C) Ref A indicates representatives of the Iranian government "may" be invited to this year's national day receptions. Ordinarily, given this guidance we would choose to invite Ambassador Araghchi who is an extremely active, well-known and popular chief of mission in Tokyo. Araghchi seems to be a voice for moderation and apparently played a backstage role in urging the release of Roxana Saberi, who he personally knows from a previous teacher-student relationship. (For further bio information on Ambassador Araghchi, see Ref B.) However, during Deputy Secretary Steinberg's recent visit to Tokyo, he made clear to Japanese government officials that we believe Japan is being too easy on Iran. An invitation to Ambassador Araghchi might undercut that message. ¶3. (C) Please advise whether Embassy Tokyo should invite Ambassador Araghchi to our national day reception. ZUMWALT