AUSTRIA SEES GROWING RESOLVE ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000160 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR (SPRING AND MARWAHA),DRL/NESCA (HUTCHINGS) AND P E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020 TAGS: PHUM PREL IR AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIA SEES GROWING RESOLVE ON IRAN REF: A. STATE 12108 B. VIENNA 117 Classified By: DCM Chris Hoh for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) DCM discussed ref A demarche with Stefan Lehne, MFA Political Director, on Feb. 8. DCM told Lehne that the USG had serious concerns about the human rights situation in Iran and would continue communicating on high levels of the need for other countries to speak out. ¶2. (C) Lehne, who had just returned from an official visit to Washington, recounted that he had heard two theories on Iran's behaviour. One theory was that Iran is politically gridlocked and incapable of making decisions to compromise and accept the IAEA deal, and the opposing theory was that Iran is stringing the world along with skillful diplomacy based on 6000 years of experience. After the Iranian Foreign Minister's recent comments, Lehne said he had no doubt that the second theory was invalid. Lehne postulated that the Iranian government's recent rejection of the IAEA proposal and issuance of death sentences against protestors, while terrible, would have the positive effect of strengthening international resolve to act, especially in keeping China and Russia on board for sanctions by the UNSC. ¶3. (C) The GOA last month summoned the Iranian Ambassador to deliver an EU-wide demarche on human rights (ref B), referring specifically to the protection of human rights defenders, the treatment of women involved in the opposition protests, and the persecution of Ba'hai followers. According to Gerrit Ach of the MFA's Human Rights department, the Iranian Ambassador protested the EU's application of "double standards" by interfering in internal political matters, and he saw no need to stress the Ba'hai issue. EACHO