IRAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL LAYS BLAME (WIDELY) FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000021 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/28 TAGS: PGOV PREL IR SUBJECT: IRAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL LAYS BLAME (WIDELY) FOR ASHURA-DAY RIOTS CLASSIFIED BY: Charles Pennypacker, Consular Officer, DOS, IRPO; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a January 27 meeting with Iranian press, an unnamed Deputy Intelligence Minister provided details on some of the arrests made in connection with the December 27 Ashura-day demonstrations. He ascribed the Ashura-day 'rioting' to (inter alia) the German government, Western intelligence services, 1970s era Iranian leftist/Marxist Iranian political groups, the Bahais, Royalist groups, and expatriate Iranian political activists. The timing of yesterday's Intelligence Ministry press conference, much like today's hanging of two putative insurrectionists, is doubtless meant to discourage displays of 'sedition' during the upcoming 22 Bahman (11 February) anniversary of the Revolution. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On Wednesday January 27 an unnamed Deputy Intelligence Minister spoke to Iranian press about the Ashura day riots and provided details on some of the arrests made in connection with them: GERMAN DIPLOMATS ¶3. (SBU) The Deputy Intelligence Minister claimed some of those arrested in connection with the December 27 Ashura-day 'riots' were part of an Iranian network connected to the German Intelligence Service and were being guided by German diplomats in Iran. This network was composed of young men and women who did propaganda work for the Green Path Opposition (GPO) and were in contact with foreign websites and elements. One of the women in this network was connected to Tehran-based German diplomats who went to parties and private meetings associated with the network and who daily exchanged news and information with network members. These German diplomats used these young Iranian men and women to help in their investigations of 'intelligence centers' and 'invited' some of these Iranian youth to cooperate. These two German diplomats, using the aliases 'Yogi and Ingo' were active in this regard, and there were films and pictures of them in contact with young Iranian men and women 'outside of diplomatic relations.' These two German diplomats were present during the Ashura-day riots and had 'green signs, bracelets and t-shirts' which they distributed. The Iranian Deputy Intelligence Minister said that the German Embassy and its Ambassador in Iran must account for this undiplomatic behavior, and that Iran plans to lodge a diplomatic protest via the MFA. (Note: The Iranians have offered no proof of these arrests and we have seen other reports that the German MFA has denied any of its diplomats were arrested.) MOUSAVI ADVISORS ¶4. (SBU) The Deputy Intelligence Minister said that an agent of Western Intelligence arrested in connection with the Ashura-day riots was one of Mir Hossein Mousavi's main advisors. This unidentified person had 'espionage gear' which he used to send information abroad when he was arrested. His job was to influence the Mousavi staff. Mousavi had a team of advisors called the "German Team" because all of whom had studied in Germany. This team was being guided by Germany and sought to promote German culture and interests in Iran. Separately, the Intelligence official said that a Facebook page associated with Mir Hossein Mousavi posted information calling on people to participate in Ashura day rioting. FOREIGN AGENTS ¶5. (SBU) The Deputy Intelligence Minister told press that US-based Mohsen Sazegara and UK-based Alireza Nurizadeh were two key individuals abroad serving to guide the 'rioters,' making statements and using BBC and VOA to call people to the streets. He said that expatriate Iranians Akbar Ganji, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, DUBAI 00000021 002 OF 002 Mohsen Kadivar, Fatimeh Haqiqatju and Ayatollah Mohajerani were the 'operational arm' between the West and the seditionists inside the country. In terms of theoretical guidance, he said both Vali Nasr and Hossein Bashiriyeh, both President Obama advisors, were leading the US intellectual current concerning Iran and were helping guide USG use of cyberspace to support Iran's 'seditionist current.' BLAST FROM THE PAST ¶6. (SBU) The Deputy Intelligence Minister also cited both the 70s-era leftist 'Fedayeen' group (both its 'Majority' and Minority' faction) as having helped organize and carry out Ashura-day rioting. He said 30 of this group were arrested in conjunction with the Ashura day riots, along with approximately 20 Mujahedin-e Khalq. He said all of these detainees were members of armed terrorist groups working against the IRIG and would be charged with being 'moharebeh' ('warring against God' - the sentence for which is death). He also cited the Ashura-related arrests of 15 Bahais, who it characterized as a tool of the 'Zionist regime' (Note: the 'Bahi World Center' is in Haifa). ¶7. (SBU) The Deputy Intelligence Minster also cited the arrest of an approximately 42-year old Iranian woman, affiliated with a 'royalist terrorist group,' who held 'several European passports,' and who had come to Iran after the election to stir up trouble. She had recruited 'thugs and goons,' paying them with gold and jewelry. This woman had a history of cooperating with European diplomats to ship drugs to Europe (note: recently some Iranian officials have accused foreign embassies in Iran as being the source of Iran's drug problem). This woman was at all the protests with a spy-camera shaped like pen, given to her by a Western spy service and which she used to film demonstrations which she would later send abroad to Europe via the internet. Separately, the Deputy Minister said that an Italian photographer arrested on Ashura during the demonstrations had been trained in South Africa by the British and was part of a 15-person team sent to take pictures of Iranian riots to send abroad. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: The timing of yesterday's Intelligence Ministry press conference, much like today's hanging of two putative insurrectionists, is doubtless meant to discourage displays of 'sedition' during the upcoming 22 Bahman (11 February) anniversary of the Revolution. END COMMENT. EYRE