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