US embassy cable - 97ISTANBUL1030

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001030 
 
 
LONDON FOR TUELLER; PARIS FOR LEAF 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 4/2/07 
TAGS:  PGOV, PHUM, KWMN, IR, TU 
SUBJECT: IRAN--RAFSANJANI FAMILY, WOMEN IN THE MAJLES. 
PART THREE IN A SERIES. 
 
REF: A) ISTANBUL 770  B) ISTANBUL 960 
 
 
1.   CONFIDENTIAL.  CLASSIFIED BY CONS THOMAS H. CARTER 
FOR REASONS 1.5.(B) AND (D). 
 
2.  (C) SUMMARY:  THE FAMILY OF ALI AKBAR HASHEMI 
RAFSANJANI, ESPECIALLY HIS DAUGHTER FAEZEH, WILL REMAIN 
POWERFUL DESPITE RAFSANJANI'S IMMINENT RETIREMENT, SAYS 
AN IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN.  AZAN TALEGHANI, DAUGHTER OF THE 
LATE AYATOLLAH TALEGHANI, ADDS THAT FEMALE 
REPRESENTATION IN THE MAJLES IS INCREASING BUT IRANIAN 
WOMEN HAVE DIFFICULTY FINDING WORK IN ANY FIELD OTHER 
THAN TEACHING.  ADVOCACY GROUPS SUCH THE ISLAMIC WOMEN'S 
INSTITITUTE OF IRAN, OF WHICH MS. TALEGHANI IS 
PRESIDENT, HELP FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS AND PROFESSIONALS 
FIND JOBS.  THIS REPORT IS THE THIRD IN A SERIES. 
REFTELS A AND B DEALT WITH THE US EMBARGO, IRANIAN 
RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS, AND THE SEPARATION OF MOSQUE AND 
STATE IN IRAN.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------- 
FAEZEH RAFSANJANI WANTS TO BE SPEAKER 
------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) IF CURRENT MAJLES SPEAKER NATEQ-NURI WINS THE 
NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AS EXPECTED, RAFSANJANI'S 
OLDEST CHILD FAEZEH MAY BECOME SPEAKER OF THE MAJLES OR 
A PRESIDENTIAL DEPUTY.  SOURCE, A MULTI-LINGUAL AND 
HIGHLY EDUCATED IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN, HAS A FRIEND WHO 
PLAYS VOLLEYBALL FOR THE IRANIAN NATIONAL TEAM AND WHO 
ATTENDED A DINNER IN JANUARY AT WHICH FAEZEH SPOKE. 
(NOTE: FAEZEH IS CURRENTLY THE HEAD OF THE IRANIAN 
ATHLETIC FEDERATION.)  FAEZEH TOLD THE ASSEMBLY THAT SHE 
WOULD WORK HARD AS SPEAKER OF THE MAJLES TO OPEN DOORS 
TO THE WEST SO THAT ATHLETES COULD COMPETE 
INTERNATIONALLY. SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT SHE WOULD 
REPRESENT HER FATHER IN THE POLITICAL ARENA AND THAT SHE 
WOULD CARRY ON HIS FIGHT TO MODERNIZE IRAN. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT:  FAEZEH'S STATEMENTS MAKE CLEAR HER 
SYMPATHY WITH PRAGMATISTS IN THE MAJLES.  DURING LAST 
YEAR'S ELECTION SEASON FAEZEH MADE SEVERAL CONTROVERSIAL 
STATEMENTS SUCH AS HER BELIEF THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE ABLE 
TO RIDE BICYCLES FREELY IN TEHRAN PARKS.  SHORTLY AFTER 
THE ELECTIONS THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION LED BY KHAMANEI 
CONSOLIDATED POWER AND FAEZEH BECAME MUCH LESS VOCAL-- 
OUR SOURCES CLAIM SHE FEARED DECERTIFICATION.  HER 
WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK OUT AGAIN SIGNALS EITHER HER 
GROWING CONFIDENCE, THE GROWING CONFIDENCE OF THE HARD- 
LINERS THAT THEY ARE FIRMLY IN POWER AND NOT THREATENED 
BY FAEZEH, OR BOTH.  END COMMENT. 
 
----------------------------- 
FAEZEH'S GENDER NOT IMPORTANT 
----------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) SOURCE SAYS FAEZEH'S GENDER IS NOT AN ISSUE 
BECAUSE SHE IS A RAFSANJANI AND BECAUSE OF HER STRONG 
PERSONALITY.  THE MAJLES HAS A GROWING CONTINGENT OF 
FEMALE REPRESENTATIVES, INCLUDING FARZANI MAYED OF 
ISFAHAN AND FARZANI MAJOUB OF TEHRAN.  MAHJOUB IS A 
PRAGMATIST AND THE DAUGHTER OF DR. (FNU) MAHJOUB, FORMER 
MINISTER OF EDUCATION UNDER THE SHAH.  SOURCE BELIEVES 
WOMEN WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION 
BUT WERE SHORTCHANGED BY KHOMEINI AND HAVE NOT YET BEEN 
GIVEN PROPER CREDIT OR AUTHORITY. 
 
6.  (C) COMMENT:  REGARDING FAEZEH BECOMING SPEAKER, 
SOURCE'S LENSES MAY BE A BIT ROSE-COLORED.  A SURVEY OF 
OTHER IRANIANS COMING THROUGH ISTANBUL PRODUCED ONLY 
OPINIONS TO THE CONTRARY.  ONE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT 
EMPLOYEE SAID A WOMAN COULD NEVER ACHIEVE A LEADERSHIP 
POSITION IN IRAN.  EVEN NOW THERE IS DISAGREEMENT ON THE 
TALLY OF FAEZEH'S ELECTION RESULTS FROM LAST SPRING. 
LIBERAL SOURCES SAY SHE RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES OF ANY 
CANDIDATE AND WOULD BE SPEAKER BUT FOR THE FACT THAT SHE 
IS A WOMAN.  MEANWHILE TWO OF THE MAJOR IRANIAN DAILIES 
CLAIMED SHE RECEIVED THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES, 
AND SEVERAL CONSERVATIVE SOURCES CLAIM SHE SIMPLY 
RECEIVED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES OF ANY FEMALE 
CANDIDATE.  END COMMENT. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
OTHER RAFSANJANI CHILDREN COMING INTO THEIR OWN 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
7.  (C) PRESIDENT RAFSANJANI WILL REMAIN POWERFUL AFTER 
HIS RETIREMENT IN AUGUST, SOURCE SAYS, THANKS TO THE 
GROWING WEALTH AND INFLUENCE OF HIS FAMILY.  IN ADDITION 
TO FAEZEH, THE PRESIDENT HAS TWO OTHER CHILDREN. 
RAFSANJANI'S SECOND CHILD, YASSER, CONTROLS THE IMPORTS 
OF MANY MAJOR EAST ASIAN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN 
IRAN AND IS SAID TO HAVE POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS; HIS 
OTHER SON, MEHDI, IS DOING WELL AS THE HEAD OF A 
BUSINESS GROUP WHICH HAS TIES TO GERMAN, CANADIAN, AND 
JAPANESE FIRMS.  SOURCE CLAIMS THE RAFSANJANI FAMILY 
OWNS MOST OF RAFSANJAN--AN IMPORTANT PISTACHIO-GROWING 
TOWN AND REGION--AND PRODUCES "RAFSANJAN PISTACHIOS" 
WHICH ACCOUNT FOR NINETY PERCENT OF ALL PISTACHIO 
EXPORTS FROM IRAN.  HE ADDS THAT THE FAMILY ALSO 
CONTROLS THE PROFITABLE "FREE-TRADE ZONE" ON QESHM 
ISLAND IN THE PERSIAN GULF. 
 
8.  (C) COMMENT:  SOURCE VIEWS THE WEALTH OF THE 
RAFSANJANI FAMILY IN A FAVORABLE LIGHT, BUT OTHER 
IRANIANS ACCUSE THE PRESIDENT OF CORRUPTION AND 
NEPOTISM.  THE CONTROL OVER THE RAFSANJAN PISTACHIO 
BUSINESS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY OTHER SOURCES, ALTHOUGH 
THE NINETY PERCENT FIGURE MAY BE HIGH.  RAFSANJANI'S 
CONTROL OVER THE QESHM FREE ZONE IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE. 
IN ANY CASE, THE RAFSANJANI FAMILY IS ASSURED OF A LARGE 
AND STEADY INCOME FROM THEIR BROADENING VENTURES.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
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AYATOLLAH TALEGHANI'S DAUGHTER GIVES INPUT 
------------------------------------------ 
 
9.  (C) IN EARLY MARCH AZAN TALEGHANI, PRESIDENT OF THE 
ISLAMIC WOMEN'S INSTITUTE OF IRAN, CAME THROUGH ISTANBUL 
ON HER WAY TO A UN CONFERENCE IN NY.  MS. TALEGHANI IS 
THE DAUGHTER OF THE LATE AYATOLLAH MAHMOUD TALEGHANI, A 
PIVOTAL FIGURE IN THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION.  ACCORDING TO 
MS. TALEGHANI THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN POLITICS IS 
GROWING.  DURING THE SHAH'S TIME THERE WERE NEVER MORE 
THAN FOUR WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, NOR DID THE NUMBER RISE 
AFTER THE REVOLUTION.  FOLLOWING THE 1992 PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS, HOWEVER, NINE FEMALE MEMBERS WON POSITIONS IN 
THE MAJLES.  FOUR MORE WERE ELECTED IN THE 1996 
ELECTIONS, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO THIRTEEN.  TALEGHANI 
SAYS FOUR OF THE THIRTEEN WOMEN IN THE MAJLES ARE 
LIBERAL/PRAGMATISTS, THREE ARE CONSERVATIVES, AND THE 
OTHER SIX DO NOT HAVE CLEAR AFFILIATIONS.  SEVERAL 
FEMALE LIBERAL CANDIDATES WERE NOT CERTIFIED BY THE 
COUNCIL OF GUARDIANS IN THE LAST ELECTIONS OR THE NUMBER 
COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER. 
 
10.  (C) MS. TALEGHANI SAYS THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM 
WOMEN FACE IN IRAN IS THE INABLITY TO ENTER THE WORK 
FORCE.  THE PRIMARY TASK OF HER ORGANIZATION IS TO GET 
WOMEN INTO WELL-PAYING JOBS.  THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST 
SUCCESSFUL VENTURE SO FAR IS A TEXTILE COOPERATIVE, 
MANAGED AND STAFFED BY WOMEN, WHICH MAKES CLOTHING FOR 
EXPORT TO DUBAI.  SUCH SUCCESS IS RARE IN IRAN, SAYS 
TALEGHANI, AND MOST WOMEN WHO WORK ARE TEACHERS. MORE 
YOUNG WOMEN THAN EVER BEFORE ARE RECEIVING SECONDARY AND 
HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT OUTSIDE OF TEACHING THERE ARE FEW 
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN.  MS. TALEGHANI WAS 
A TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS AND ACTUALLY HAD FAEZEH 
RAFSANJANI AS A STUDENT.  TALEGHANI SAYS FAEZEH WAS "NOT 
A REMARKABLE STUDENT," BUT IS PLEASED WITH HER 
POLITICAL SUCCESS AND WITH THE PROGRESS THIS REPRESENTS 
FOR IRANIAN WOMEN. 
 
11.  (U) NOTE:  SOURCE'S FATHER--AYATOLLAH MAHMOUD 
TALEGHANI--WAS A UNIVERSITY TEACHER AND LEFTIST ISLAMIC 
THEORIST PERSECUTED THROUGHOUT THE SHAH'S REGIME.  HIS 
FAMILY HAD DEEP ROOTS AMONG THE BAZAARI (MERCHANT CLASS) 
IN TEHRAN, AND MAINTAINS EVEN NOW SOME OF ITS 
CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE.  ACCORDING TO JOHN STEMPEL'S 
"INSIDE THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION" TALEGHANI "...WAS 
IDOLIZED BY THE URBAN POOR AND BY THE YOUNG 
INTELLECTUALS IN BOTH MUJAHADIN AND FEDAYEEN CIRCLES FOR 
HIS OPPOSITION TO THE SHAH....  HE WAS THE ONLY 
INDIVIDUAL [AT THE TIME OF THE REVOLUTION] WHOSE 
PERSONAL REPUTATION WAS IMPRESSIVE ENOUGH TO DEFY 
KHOMEINI."  A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI 
AND AYATOLLAH TALEGHANI THREATENED THE REVOLUTION AND 
COULD HAVE RESULTED IN CIVIL WAR, BUT TALEGHANI 
EVENTUALLY CONCEDED TO KHOMEINI FOR THE SAKE OF UNITY. 
HE DIED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. 
 
 
HUGGINS