EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002162 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/RA - BEDKE, ISN/RA - HEIDLBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2019 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IAEA PREL AORC IR JA SUBJECT: EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN REF: STATE 095073 Classified By: Political-Minister Counselor Robert S. Luke per reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 16, Embassy Poloff delivered reftel demarche seeking to expand the number of countries encouraging Iran to take advantage of the P5 plus 1 proposal to MOFA Second Middle East Division Principal Deputy Director Yukiya Hamamoto. Poloff expressed appreciation for Japan's continuing commitment to assisting in dealing with Iran. ¶2. (C) Hamamoto said that he believed that more voices speaking out regarding Iran were necessary and that encouraging more countries to do so was the correct approach, adding that Second Middle East Division would seek to include Iran-related language in Foreign Minister Okada's UN General Assembly speech. Although he did not wish to be pessimistic, Hamamoto said that should additional sanctions became necessary, it was essential that such sanctions be implemented by all countries. In this regard, noting the continuing expansion of Iranian exports to China and India, he said that China and India would have to be committed to implementation in order for new sanctions to have any chance of effectiveness. Commenting briefly on Iran's September 9 proposal to the P5 plus 1, he deemed it "disappointing," adding it would be difficult to make something worthwhile out of Iran's proposal. ROOS