US embassy cable - 03ROME1100

S E C R E T ROME 001100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR NEA AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IR, IT, IZ, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TELLS GOI IRAN WOULDN'T MIND 
SEEING SADDAM GO 
 
REF: ROME 854 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON.  REASON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
(S)  DURING COURSE OF DISCUSSION ON OTHER TOPICS, PRIME 
MINISTER BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, AMBASSADOR GIOVANNI 
    CASTELLANETA, PROVIDED DCM WITH BRIEF READOUT OF HIS EARLY 
MARCH MEETING WITH IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ITALY BAHRAM 
GHASEMI.  THE MEETING TOOK PLACE AT GHASEMI'S REQUEST, IN 
CASTELLANETA'S OFFICE. 
 
(S)  GHASEMI TOLD CASTELLANETA THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS 
CONVINCED THE USG HAD ALREADY DECIDED TO ATTACK IRAQ, BUT 
WOULD NOT DO SO UNTIL AFTER THE SHIA HOLY DAY OF ASHURA ON 16 
MARCH (SIC -- OUR CALENDAR SHOWS ASHURA ON THE 14TH). 
GHASEMI SAID THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T MIND SEEING 
SADDAM DEPART THE SCENE, BUT HAD TWO RED LINES FOR ANY 
USG-LED MILITARY ACTION.  FIRST, IRAN COULD NOT BE PERCEIVED 
AS COOPERATING WITH THE U.S.  SECOND, THE MOJAHEDIN-E KHALG 
(MEK) WOULD HAVE TO BE RESTRAINED AND COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO 
EXPLOIT THE SITUATION TO ATTACK IRAN.  GHASEMI ALSO SAID THAT 
A FEW WEEKS PREVIOUSLY THE IRAQI FORMIN HAD VISITED TEHERAN 
WITH AN OFFER TO SHUT DOWN THE MEK IF TEHERAN AGREED TO 
COOPERATE WITH BAGHDAD AGAINST U.S. AGGRESSION.  THE IRANIAN 
GOVERNMENT TURNED DOWN THE OFFER. 
 
(S)  CASTELLANETA TOLD DCM THAT GHASEMI HAD GIVEN NO 
INDICATION WHETHER HE WAS SPEAKING PRIVATELY OR ON 
INSTRUCTIONS.  CASTELLANETA ALSO SAID THAT HE TOOK THE 
OCCASION TO STRESS TO THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR THE NEED FOR 
DEMOCRATIC REFORMS WITHIN IRAN AND TO REPEAT ITALIAN CONCERNS 
ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BUT RECEIVED ONLY THE STANDARD 
IRANIAN ANSWERS TO BOTH ISSUES. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01100 - Classification: SECRET