UAE SUPPORTS "SHIFT" TO PRESSURE TRACK ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000073 SIPDIS NEA/FO SCHLICHER, LIMBERT, CATALANO ISN/RA NEPHEW NEA/IR HORNER NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/10 TAGS: PARM PREL UNSC ETTC IR AE SUBJECT: UAE SUPPORTS "SHIFT" TO PRESSURE TRACK ON IRAN REF: STATE 9124 CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Olson, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) In a February 10 meeting with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, Ambassador presented reftel points and pressed for UAE support as the USG works with partners to develop new measures to pressure the IRIG towards cooperation with the international community. He noted that Iran's failure to respond positively to the unprecedented outreach of the international community necessitated a shift to a new phase in our approach to Iran. ¶2. (C) Gargash said that the UAE had expected this moment to come and had predicted that Iran would be unwilling or unable to respond positively to the international community. That said, it was important to have attempted engagement in order to build greater support for the coming "shift" in tactics. While pleased with Russia's forward-leaning public stance on increased pressure, Gargash questioned whether sufficient support exists to gain a UNSC imprimatur for any new sanctions, an outcome strongly preferred by the UAEG, given China's apparent reluctance to endorse new sanctions measures. He noted concern, in particular, that the recently-announced U.S. arms sale to Taiwan could work against efforts to gain Chinese support for new measures on Iran. ¶3. (C) Ambassador stressed that irrespective of the outcome of efforts to work through the UNSC, the USG would be taking unilateral steps in concert with a number of like-minded countries aimed at stepping up economic pressure upon Iran. The UAE would be important to this effort given its proximity to, and economic links with, Iran. Gargash said the UAE welcomed discussion on such elements and would seek to be helpful as this new phase towards Iran unfolded. OLSON