US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4154

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004154 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2015 
TAGS: MOPS, PHUM, PTER, IZ, IR, ICRC 
SUBJECT: STATUS UPDATE ON CAMP ASHRAF REPATRIATIONS 
 
REF: 04 BAGHDAD 2041 
 
Classified By: Classified by Political-Military Counselor 
David C. Litt for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Between August 2004 and October 
2005, 331 "defectors" from the Mujahideen-e-Khalq 
(MeK) organization have been voluntarily repatriated 
to their countries of nationality or residence: 316 to 
Iran, eleven to Pakistan, two to Sweden, one to 
Turkey, and one to Canada. Possible third-country 
repatriations in the near future include two German 
residents, one Afghan, one Swedish, and one Dutch. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (S) Repatriations to Iran continue at the rate of 
10-15 (mostly new) defectors each month, and thirteen 
Iranian nationals are scheduled to return to Tehran 
from Baghdad International Airport on October 13th via 
ICRC propeller plane. Approximately 50% of new Iranian 
defectors from the MeK Camp Ashraf opt for immediate 
repatriation, with the remainder stating a fear of 
persecution upon return to Iran. 
 
3.  (SBU) Post has requested that UNHCR conduct 
Refugee Status Determination (RSD) interviews for this 
remainder of approximately 170 (and growing). We plan 
to distribute photocopies of the September 30th letter 
from UNHCR to TIPF residents passed to Post through 
the Department, which announces UNHCR's intent to 
conduct these interviews via remote video-link from 
Ankara in four to eight weeks, to all TIPF residents 
as soon as copies have been transported to Ashraf. 
 
4.  (S) MNF-I is planning several outreach exercises 
for the coming weeks, including a census and the 
issuance of new ID cards to Ashraf residents: these 
have typically provided defection opportunities for 
main camp residents, as well as providing useful 
information for future information operations 
campaigns. Post, meanwhile, awaits guidance on the 
request of four AmCit Ashraf residents for passport 
renewal (see Reftel and related e-mails). 
Khalilzad