Iran Intelligence Ministry Releases (Soft) Enemies List

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RPO DUBAI 000003 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/05 TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL IR SUBJECT: Iran Intelligence Ministry Releases (Soft) Enemies List REF: 09 DUBAI RPO 349 CLASSIFIED BY: Alan Eyre, Director, Iran Regional Presence Office; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) According to Iranian press, on January 3 the Intelligence Ministry's Foreign Deputy discussed 'the conspiracies of foreigners and espionage organizations, especially those of the US, UK and the Zionist regime' with Iranian press. This unnamed intelligence official said although the Islamic Republic's enemies were pursuing a strategy of 'soft confrontation and overthrow' to oppose the Islamic Revolution, Iran's intelligence and security officials have been able to uncover their plans, goals and ringleaders in Iran and abroad, and to foil their plans. He said some international organizations and foundations that Iran considered affiliated with the foreign organizations in this 'soft war' seeking to overthrow the regime were internet and satellite-based news networks like BBC, VOA, Radio Zamaneh, Radio Farda, 'Zionist regime radio,' in addition to anti-regime satellite networks such as those of the MEK, Royalists, 'Pars,' 'Rangarang,' 'Channel One,' and anti-revolutionary internet sites in league with the 'seditionists' such as 'Jaras.' ¶2. (U) The Intelligence Ministry deputy cautioned that "any communications, signing any contracts, or receiving any assistance from legal or actual persons affiliated with these 'Soft War' organizations and institutions is illegal and prohibited. Likewise, receiving any financial or non-financial assistance or aid from outside Iran for political groups, parties or currents is illegal." ¶3. (U) He gave Iranian press a list of 60 organizations relating to this 'Soft War' [NOTE: some organizations seem to be double-listed, unknown organizations are translated with 'sic']: (1) Soros Foundation or the Foundation for an Open Society (2) Woodrow Wilson Center (3) Freedom House (4) National Endowment for Democracy (NED) (5) National Democratic Institute (NDI) (6) National Republican Institute (NRI) (7) Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (IDEE) (8) East European Democratic Center (EEDC) (9) Ford Foundation (10) Rockefeller Brothers Fund (11) Hoover Institute, Stanford University (12) Netherlands Institute Hivos (13) MENAS - UK (14) United States Association for the United Nations (15) Carnegie Institute (16) Wilton Park - UK (17) Search for Common Ground (18) Population Council (19) Washington Institute for Near East Policy (20) Aspen Institute (21) American Enterprise Institute DUBAI 00000003 002 OF 003 (22) New America Foundation (23) Smith Richardson Foundation (24) The German Marshall Fund of the United States (offices in Germany, Belgium, etc) (25) International Center for Nonviolent Solutions (26) Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation (27) Yale University (28) Meridian [International] Center (29) Foundation for Democracy in Iran (30) International Republican Institute (31) National Democratic Institute (32) American Innovation Institute (sic) (33) Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (34) Center for Media Assistance of America (sic) (possibly the International Center for Media Assistance) (35) Center for International Private Enterprise (36) American Center for International Labor Solidarity (37) International Center for Democratic Transition (38) Society for Formation of Democracy (sic) (39) Albert Einstein Institute (40) World Movement for Democracy (41) World Youth Movement for Democracy (42) Information Group for Democracy and Communications Technology [sic] (43) International Parliamentary Movement for Democracy (44) Search for Democracy Network Institute [sic] (45) Riga Institute (46) Berkman Institute (47) Council on Foreign Relations) (48) German Society for Foreign Policy (49) [Israel Memri Institute [aka Memri - Middle East Media Research Institute (50) Centre for the Study of Democracy - UK (51) Meridian Institute (52) Yale University and all subordinate Centers and Institutes (53) National Defense University (54) Iran Human Rights Documentation Center [IHRDC] (55 ) "Felta" American Center Active in Central Asia and the Caucasus (sic) (56) Committee for the Present Danger (57) Brookings Institute (58) Saban Center Affiliated with Brookings Institute (59) Human Rights Watch (60) New America Foundation DUBAI 00000003 003 OF 003 ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Even before June 12 the IRIG has traditionally ascribed demonstrations and other anti-government activities to a foreign-backed soft war intent on regime overthrow. Since the June election and subsequent crackdown, Iran's vast intelligence-security apparatus is even more fixated on detecting and neutralizing foreign instigated 'soft threats.' This Intelligence Ministry release of an 'enemies list' of foreign organizations is yet another indication that the regime sees real or imagined enemies behind almost any foreign civil-society organization. Similarly, the IRIG publicly has claimed, most recently last summer, that the US IVLP program was a tactic in the 'Soft War,' and subjected some IVLP participants to arrest, travel bans and other harassment (reftel). Although the IRIG may be split between those who sincerely believe in Western conspiracies and those who use this fear for increasing their own political and economic power, it is clear to us that today's issuing of this list, and the associated Intelligence Ministry 'cease and desist' warning to Iranians to avoid any contacts with foreign organizations, is significant in terms of USG PD efforts. In such an environment, we continue to recommend the Department maintain our tactical pause on IVLP programs. EYRE