US embassy cable - 03ROME854

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000854 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR NEA AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, IR, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM, NATO 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: IRAN WOULD ACCEPT UN-SANCTIONED WAR IN IRAQ, 
KHATEMI TELLS BERLUSCONI 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: IRAN WOULD NOT OBJECT TO MILITARY ACTION TO 
DEPOSE SADDAM -- PROVIDED IT IS UN-SANCTIONED, IRANIAN 
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PRESIDENT KHATAMI HAS TOLD PM BERLUSCONI.  KHATAMI'S VIEWS 
WERE  DELIVERED TO BERLUSCONI BY HIS BROTHER, PARLIAMENTARY 
VP KHATAMI, IN A FEB. 26 MEETING.   KHATAMI'S MESSAGE 
UNDERSCORES IRAN'S STRONG CONCERNS WITH "UNILATERAL" ACTION 
AGAINST SADDAM AND INSISTS THAT IRAN PLAY A ROLE IN 
POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION. KHATAMI'S VISIT, WHICH 
GENERATED LITTLE PRESS COVERAGE, ALSO FEATURED CALLS ON 
PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER PRESIDENT CASINI AND THE POPE.   END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) MFA GULF AFFAIRS OFFICE DIRECTOR PROVIDED US LATE FEB. 
27 WITH AN ORAL SUMMARY OF THE OFFICIAL MESSAGE KHATAMI-FRERE 
HAD DELIVERED TO PM BERLUSCONI THE DAY BEFORE.  IN ASKING FOR 
THE APPOINTMENT WITH BERLUSCONI, THE IRANIANS HAD MADE CLEAR 
THAT THE IRANIAN ENVOY WOULD BE BRINGING A MESSAGE FROM 
PRESIDENT KHATAMI. 
 
3. (C) PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S MESSAGE INDICATED THAT: 
 
- IRAN WOULD BE AGREEABLE TO MILITARY ACTION TO DISARM 
SADDAM, PROVIDED IT OCCURRED UNDER AUSPICES OF A UN 
RESOLUTION. 
 
- HOWEVER, IRAN WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGERS TO REGIONAL 
STABILITY POSED BY DISARMAMENT ACCOMPLISHED VIA "UNILATERAL 
ACTION."  UNILATERAL ACTION WOULD NEITHER CREATE A MORE 
STABLE IRAQ NOR RENDER THE REGION MORE SECURE. 
 
- IF SADDAM'S DISARMAMENT OCCURRED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE 
UN, IRAN "WOULD NOT FAIL TO GIVE ITS CONSTRUCTIVE SUPPORT," 
ESPECIALLY REGARDING RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.  SUCH 
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ACTIVITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO OCCUR IN A CLIMATE OF TRUST AND 
COOPERATION WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. 
 
- IRAN WAS AWARE OF THE U.S. NEED TO MAKE SURE SADDAM DID NOT 
POSE A FUTURE THREAT; BUT IRAN NEEDED A GUARANTEE THAT IT 
WOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM POSTWAR SCENARIOS. 
 
4. (C) KHATAMI-FRERE ALSO INFORMED BERLUSCONI THAT HIS 
BROTHER PLANNED TO SEND VICE PRESIDENT NABAVEH(SP) TO BERLIN, 
PARIS AND ANKARA NEXT WEEK TO CONSULT AND PRESS IRAN'S VIEWS 
OF THE SITUATION. 
 
5. (U) THE OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT INDICATED THAT KHATAMI 
HAD ALSO CONVEYED AN INVITATION FOR BERLUSCONI TO VISIT 
TEHRAN.  IT ALSO ELLIPTICALLY NOTED IRAN'S HOPE THAT ITALY'S 
UPCOMING EU PRESIDENCY WOULD FURTHER IMPROVE IRANIAN-EU 
RELATIONS, INCLUDING STRONGER ECONOMIC TIES. 
 
6. (SBU) KHATAMI STRESSED THE SAME ELEMENTS IN A SHORT 
MEETING WITH PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER PRESIDENT CASINI FEB. 27, 
EMPHASIZING IRAN'S CONCERN OVER THE POTENTIAL OF UNILATERAL 
U.S. MILITARY ACTION TO DESTABILIZE THE BROADER REGION AND 
URGING A GREATER FOCUS ON THE POST-WAR SITUATION, ACCORDING 
TO CASINI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR.  IN RESPONSE, CASINI URGED 
IRAN TO PURSUE A MODERATE LINE ON ANY POSSIBLE MILITARY 
ACTION; HE ALSO PRESSED KHATAMI TO STOP SUPPORTING HEZBOLLAH 
AND SIMILAR TERROR GROUPS AND TO CURTAIL ITS NUCLEAR 
PROGRAMS.  KHATAMI REPORTEDLY ALSO CALLED ON THE POPE FEB. 27. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME00854 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL