WORRIED AT THE IRANIAN EMBASSY? DIPLOMATS REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000100 SIPDIS LONDON FOR MILLER, PARIS FOR NOBLES E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2020 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV SY IR SUBJECT: WORRIED AT THE IRANIAN EMBASSY? DIPLOMATS REPORT CONCERN OVER SARG-US ENGAGEMENT REF: A. 09 DAMASCUS 880 ¶B. 09 DAMASCUS 884 ¶C. DAMASCUS 41 Classified By: CDA Charles Hunter For Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Syria-based diplomats report that the Iranian Embassy in Damascus is concerned about the SARG's increased engagement with the United States and moderate regional states like Saudi Arabia and Turkey. After three American delegations met with President Bashar al-Asad and visiting American delegations, our contacts said generally tight-lipped diplomats stationed at the Iranian Embassy had expressed displeasure over the increasing frequency of USG visits to Damascus while warning their diplomatic counterparts the U.S. was attempting to divide Iran from its Syrian allies. Arab diplomats also provided us additional details regarding conversations between Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and SARG officials during his January 11 visit to Syria that highlight potential policy differences between Tehran and Damascus. END SUMMARY. IRANIAN CONCERN ABOUT AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT ¶2. (C) Following a string of visits by Iranian officials to Damascus the past two months, Arab diplomats told us the Iranian visits reflected growing insecurity in Tehran over whether Syria's engagement with moderate states like Turkey and Saudi Arabia would reduce Iran's influence with the SARG (reftels). Diplomats at a range of regional embassies agreed that continued U.S.-SARG engagement threatened Iranian interests in Syria, and the Tehran regime was reacting with displeasure. "The Iranians are watching closely to see if America is making a move on its relations with Syria," Algerian DCM Amor Fritah said. ¶3. (C) After three meetings took place in three weeks between American delegations (Codel Gregg, Codel Hastings, and SEMEP Mitchell) and President Asad from late December to mid-January, Iranian diplomats stationed in Damascus have expressed concern over the increasing frequency of USG visits to Damascus, according to our contacts. Turkish First Secretary Ali Bozcaliskan said the Iranian ambassador visited the Turkish Embassy on January 24 and complained that "the Americans are trying to divide us in the region - the Iranians, Syrians, and Turks." The Iranian ambassador reportedly urged a joint Turkish-Iranian-Syrian position on regional issues, which the Turkish ambassador politely declined. "We are not interested in regional groupings right now; we are interested more in developing better bilateral relations between different countries," Bozcaliskan explained. ¶4. (C) Calling the Iranian reaction a logical response to SARG engagement with the U.S., Arab diplomats at several missions subsequently confirmed reports that working-level Iranian diplomats in Damascus were unhappy with the prospects of better SARG-U.S. relations. Emirati and Kuwaiti diplomats related that while their embassies do not maintain close contact with the Iranian embassy, Syrian friends of Iranian diplomats had repeated statements reportedly made by the Iranians warning of "American intervention" in the Syrian-Iranian relationship. ¶5. (C) Emirati DCM Khalifa Abdul Rahman al-Marzouqi said Arab diplomats had been asked by their Iranian counterparts whether American visitors raised the Iranian-Syrian relationship during their meetings with Syrian officials. Abdul Rahman noted, however, that the Iranian embassy is "closed and difficult to communicate with." Arab diplomats said they hoped to use the large celebration next week commemorating the anniversary of the Iranian revolution to learn more about Iranians' views on the current state of Syrian-Iranian relations. ADDITIONAL DETAILS REGARDING MOTTAKI VISIT ¶6. (C) Jordanian First Secretary Hisham Saadoun and Second Secretary Sinaan al-Majali told us February 3 that Syrian contacts reported tension between Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki's delegation and their Syrian hosts during Mottaki's January 11 visit to Damascus (ref. C). The Jordanian diplomats said the Syrians had "frankly" raised concerns they had with Tehran's policies in the Arab world. "There is a bit of a gulf between them these days," Majali opined. ¶7. (C) The Syrians reportedly complained about Tehran's support for dissident Shi'a groups in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, stating that such actions made it difficult for Damascus to mediate between Riyadh and Tehran. The Syrians also allegedly objected directly to Tehran's stance on the Houthi rebellion in Yemen and reiterated Damascus' support for the Yemeni government. Finally, Syrian contacts told their Jordanian counterparts SARG officials expressed concern to Mottaki about Iran's agenda in Iraq. "They complained about Iran's lack of transparency about what they are doing in Iraq," Majali related. The Jordanian diplomats concluded the reports provide more evidence that there are potential cracks developing in the Damascus-Tehran alliance. ¶8. (C) COMMENT: It is not surprising that Iranian diplomats would react negatively to increased U.S. engagement with the SARG or interpret it as an American effort to divide Iran from its main ally in the region. In light of these perceptions and the reported disagreements between Tehran and Damascus on issues such as Yemen and Iraq, Iran may be warily monitoring Syria's engagement with moderate players in the region for any further evidence to bear out its suspicions. After more than 30 years of close relations between the two regimes, it remains unlikely in the near term Syria will forsake its relations with Iran. But as Damascus seeks additional strategic options through warming relations with neighbors like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, U.S.-Syrian engagement may only add to Iranian concerns that additional options for Damascus may mean a lessening of the latter's reliance on Tehran. END COMMENT. HUNTER