TURKMENISTAN: IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN SETS SIGHTS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000161 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020 TAGS: EINV BTIO ECON PGOV PREL IR TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN SETS SIGHTS ON BRINGING MACDONALDS TO ASHGABAT REF: A. 09 ASGHABAT 1292 ¶B. 09 ASHGABAT 1217 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran. Reasons: 1.4(b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) An Iranian entrepreneur resident in Ashgabat the past 18 years operating a highly successful tile and ceramic import business (Ref A) hopes to bring McDonalds to Turkmenistan. Abbas Mehrabian, who recently returned from his first U.S. visit, told Iran Watcher that while there, he had contacted the McDonalds Corporation and expressed an interest in opening a franchise in Ashgabat. If successful, Mehrabian would be running the first McDonalds store in Central Asia. He said having lived in Turkmenistan for so many years, he understands the tastes of the Turkmen people, who, he said, are "fascinated" with all things American. He believes the McDonalds cache (and quality) would guarantee the success of such an undertaking, and is presently studying possible locations in Ashgabat. To avoid the obvious complications of registering an Iranian firm in Ashgabat, he would partner with a Turkmen entrepreneur, as he has done with his ceramics business. ¶2. (C) To date, the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations has been adamant that the Turkmen Government would first own an American fast food franchise, and if all went well, private Turkmen entrepreneurs might be given the opportunity to own a franchise (Ref B). McDonald's representatives have reported that the company sells its franchises to independent entrepreneurs. At the same time, GOTX officials remain interested in becoming the first Central Asian country to have an American fast food franchise, so Mehrabian might actually be approaching the idea at the right time. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Notwithstanding the ambitiousness of our contact's plan, it would appear that if anyone can succeed at this in Turkmenistan, he is the one to do so: Mehrabian, through sheer patience, perseverance, and a disarmingly calm demeanor, has succeeded in Turkmenistan long after other foreign investors have given up and returned home. END COMMENT. CURRAN