US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6877

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006877 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MNUC, IR, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAN: MFA OFFICIAL ON NUKES AND INTEREFERENCE IN 
IRAQ 
 
 
Classified By: PolMilCouns Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
1. (C) PolMilCouns discussed Iran's nuclear program Dec. 9 
with MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia Aydin 
Evirgen.  Evirgen said that Turkey is continuing to warn Iran 
that it must comply with the IAEA and cease any further 
development of nuclear weapons capability.  In the context of 
the recent EU-3 brokered deal, Evirgen said that the Turks 
had told the Iranians that they must reach agreement now with 
the IAEA as Iran "has run out of chances."  Evirgen asked 
what the U.S. view was on the agreement.  PolMilCouns 
responded that we are skeptical, but willing to see if Iran 
really does comply.  Evirgen expressed concern that one 
result of this international pressure might be to drive 
Iran's activities (literally) underground where it would be 
harder to track.  Nonetheless, "no one is more concerned 
about this issue than Turkey," he said.  Finally, Evirgen 
observed that Iran's leaders are using not just religion, but 
nationalism to appeal to the Iranian people on issues like 
nukes. 
 
2. (C) Evirgen also said that Turkey consistently raises 
Iran's interference in Iraq with the Iranians.  According to 
Evirgen, the main Turkish argument to Tehran is that a stable 
Iraq is in Iran's interest, since the sooner Iraq is stable 
the sooner coalition forces will leave the country.  Evirgen 
reported that the Iranians tell the Turks that they agree 
about the importance of a stable Iraq, but they do not follow 
up with credible action.  He added that Turkey has dealt with 
Iran as a neighbor for hundreds of years, and to this day 
finds it hard to trust their word. 
 
3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN