Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10VIENNA46
2010-01-11 10:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
how-toVZCZCXYZ0006 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHVI #0046 0111039 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 111039Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4004 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000046
SIPDIS
NEA/IR FOR SPRING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2025
TAGS: CASC PREL AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA ON AMCIT CASES
REF: 09 STATE 129480
Classified By: Econ/Pol Counselor Dean Yap. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d).
(C) Austrian MFA Middle East Director Friedrich Stift
reported Jan. 11 that the new Austrian Ambassador to Tehran,
Thomas Buchsbaum, has not yet been able to make the necessary
contacts in the Iranian government to pursue the
imprisoned/missing Amcit cases. However, Stift reported that
previous Ambassador to Iran Michael Postl will be meeting
with Iranian officials in Geneva at the end of January and
will raise the issue then. Stift also reported hearing
rumors that the three hikers may still be in detention
because the Iranians hope to use them as leverage in the case
of an Iranian nuclear scientist who apparently defected in
Saudi Arabia and whom the Iranians now believe is in the
United States.
EACHO