

Currently released so far... 12553 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
APECO
ASEC
AMGT
AFIN
APER
ACABQ
AORC
AEMR
AF
AE
AR
AGMT
AU
AY
ABLD
AS
AG
AJ
APCS
AX
AM
AMEX
ATRN
ADM
AMED
AFGHANISTAN
AZ
AL
ASUP
AND
ARM
ASEAN
AFFAIRS
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
AODE
APEC
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AO
ABUD
AC
ADPM
ADCO
ASIG
ARF
AUC
ASEX
AGAO
AA
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
AIT
AADP
ASCH
AORL
AROC
ACOA
ANET
AID
AMCHAMS
AINF
AMG
AFU
AN
ALOW
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ACS
ADANA
AECL
ACAO
AORG
AGR
BEXP
BR
BM
BG
BL
BA
BTIO
BO
BP
BC
BILAT
BK
BU
BD
BRUSSELS
BB
BF
BBSR
BIDEN
BX
BE
BH
BT
BY
BMGT
BWC
BTIU
BN
CA
CASC
CFED
CO
CH
CS
CU
CE
CI
CM
CMGT
CJAN
COM
CG
CIS
CVIS
CR
CKGR
CHR
CVR
COUNTER
CIA
CLINTON
CY
CPAS
CD
CBW
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CDG
CW
CODEL
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
COE
CN
CARICOM
CB
CONDOLEEZZA
CWC
CACS
CSW
CIDA
CIC
CITT
CONS
CL
CACM
CDB
CDC
CAN
CF
CJUS
CTM
CBSA
CARSON
CT
CLMT
CBC
CEUDA
CV
COPUOS
CTR
CROS
CAPC
CAC
CNARC
CICTE
CBE
ECON
ETRD
EIND
ENRG
EC
ELAB
EAGR
EAID
EFIS
EFIN
EINV
EUN
EG
EPET
EAIR
EU
ELTN
EWWT
ECIN
ERD
EI
ETTC
EUR
EN
EZ
ETC
ENVI
EMIN
ET
ENVR
ER
ECPS
EINT
EAP
ES
ENIV
ECONOMY
EXTERNAL
EINN
EFTA
ECONOMIC
EPA
EXBS
ECA
ELN
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENGR
ECUN
ENGY
ECONOMICS
ELECTIONS
EIAR
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
ENERG
EFIM
EAIDS
EK
ETRDECONWTOCS
EINVETC
ECONCS
EUNCH
ESA
ECINECONCS
EUREM
ESENV
EFINECONCS
ETRC
ENNP
EAIG
EXIM
EEPET
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
ERNG
ETRO
ETRN
EINVEFIN
ICTY
IN
IS
IR
IC
IZ
IA
INTERPOL
IAEA
IT
IMO
IO
IV
ID
IRAQI
IEA
INRB
IL
IWC
ITU
ICAO
ISRAELI
ICRC
IIP
IMF
IBRD
ISLAMISTS
ITALY
ITALIAN
ILO
IPR
IQ
IRS
IAHRC
IZPREL
IRAJ
IDP
ILC
ITF
ICJ
IF
ITPHUM
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
IACI
IBET
ITRA
INR
IRC
IDA
ICTR
IGAD
INRA
INRO
IEFIN
INTELSAT
INTERNAL
INDO
ITPGOV
KWMN
KSCA
KDEM
KTFN
KIPR
KCRM
KPAL
KE
KPAO
KPKO
KS
KN
KISL
KFRD
KJUS
KIRF
KFLO
KG
KTIP
KTER
KRCM
KTIA
KGHG
KIRC
KU
KPRP
KMCA
KMPI
KSEO
KNNP
KZ
KNEI
KCOR
KOMC
KCFC
KSTC
KMDR
KFLU
KSAF
KSEP
KSAC
KR
KGIC
KSUM
KWBG
KCIP
KDRG
KOLY
KAWC
KCHG
KHDP
KRVC
KBIO
KAWK
KGCC
KHLS
KBCT
KPLS
KREL
KCFE
KMFO
KV
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KVPR
KTDB
KSPR
KIDE
KVRP
KTEX
KBTR
KTRD
KICC
KCOM
KO
KLIG
KDEMAF
KMRS
KRAD
KOCI
KSTH
KUNR
KNSD
KGIT
KFSC
KHIV
KPAI
KICA
KACT
KHUM
KREC
KSEC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCMR
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KNAR
KNUC
KPWR
KENV
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KPRV
KOM
KBTS
KCRS
KNPP
KWNM
KRFD
KVIR
KTBT
KAID
KRIM
KDDG
KRGY
KHSA
KWMM
KMOC
KSCI
KPAK
KX
KPAONZ
KCGC
KID
KPOA
KIFR
KFIN
KWAC
KOMS
KCRCM
KNUP
KMIG
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KTLA
KCSY
KJUST
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MX
MCAP
MO
MR
MI
MD
MK
MA
MP
MY
MTCRE
MOPPS
MASC
MIL
MTS
MLS
MILI
MAR
MU
MEPN
MAPP
MTCR
MEPI
MZ
MEETINGS
MG
MW
MAS
MT
MCC
MIK
ML
MARAD
MV
MERCOSUR
MTRE
MPOS
MEPP
MILITARY
MDC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MRCRE
MAPS
MEDIA
MASSMNUC
MC
NZ
NZUS
NL
NU
NATO
NP
NO
NIPP
NE
NH
NR
NA
NPT
NI
NSF
NG
NSG
NAFTA
NC
NDP
NEW
NRR
NATIONAL
NT
NS
NASA
NAR
NV
NORAD
NSSP
NK
NPA
NGO
NSC
NATOPREL
NW
NPG
NSFO
OPDC
OTRA
OIIP
OREP
OVIP
OSCE
OEXC
OIE
OPRC
OAS
OPIC
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OFFICIALS
OECD
OSCI
OBSP
OFDA
OPCW
ODIP
OFDP
OES
OPAD
OCII
OHUM
OVP
ON
OIC
OCS
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PINR
PTER
PARM
PREF
PM
PE
PINS
PK
PHSA
PBTS
PRGOV
PA
PORG
PP
PS
PGOF
PL
PO
PARMS
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PAK
POL
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PBIO
PINF
PNG
PMIL
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PAO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PSEPC
PTBS
PCUL
PROP
PNAT
PNR
POLINT
PGOVE
PROG
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
PGOC
PY
PCI
PLN
PDOV
PREO
PGIV
PHUH
PAS
PU
POGOV
PF
PINL
POV
PAHO
PRL
PG
PRAM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POLICY
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PGGV
PHUS
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PEL
PSI
PAIGH
POSTS
PBT
PTERE
RS
RU
RW
RM
RO
RP
REGION
RSP
RF
RICE
RCMP
RFE
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
RUPREL
RELATIONS
ROOD
REACTION
RSO
REPORT
SENV
SNAR
SCUL
SR
SC
SOCI
SMIG
SI
SP
SU
SO
SW
SY
SA
SZ
SAN
SF
SN
STEINBERG
SG
ST
SIPDIS
SNARIZ
SNARN
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SAARC
SL
SEVN
SARS
SIPRS
SHUM
SANC
SWE
SHI
SYR
SNARCS
SPCE
SYRIA
SEN
SH
SCRS
SENVKGHG
TRGY
TSPL
TPHY
TSPA
TBIO
TI
TW
THPY
TX
TU
TS
TZ
TC
TH
TT
TIP
TO
TERRORISM
TRSY
TINT
TN
TURKEY
TBID
TL
TV
TNGD
TD
TF
TP
TFIN
TAGS
TK
TR
UNSC
UK
UNGA
UN
US
UNHRC
UG
UP
UNMIK
UNHCR
UE
USTR
UNVIE
UAE
UZ
UY
UNO
UNESCO
USEU
USOAS
UV
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNEP
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNDP
UNPUOS
UNC
UNAUS
USUN
UNCHC
UNCHR
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCSD
UNDC
USNC
USPS
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09STATE129480, DEMARCHE REQUEST: URGING IRAN TO RESOLVE AMCIT
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09STATE129480.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09STATE129480 | 2009-12-18 18:07 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | SECRET | Secretary of State |
VZCZCXYZ0021
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #9480 3521809
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O R 181807Z DEC 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0000
S E C R E T STATE 129480
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2019
TAGS: CASC IR PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PROP PTER IT NZ TU ID
IN, BR, NO, IZ, MU, AE, QA, FR, GM, CA, NL, BE, AU, SW, MX, SF, MY,
JA, TX, CH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: URGING IRAN TO RESOLVE AMCIT
CASES
REF: A. 09STATE94757
¶B. 09BAGHDAD2181
¶C. 09PARIS1046
¶D. 09ASHGABAT993
Classified By: NEA Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Feltman
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (U) This is an action request for Embassies Rome,
Canberra, Ankara, Jakarta, New Delhi, Brasilia, Oslo,
Baghdad, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Paris, Berlin, Ottawa, The
Hague, Brussels, Vienna, Stockholm, Mexico City, Pretoria,
Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Ashgabat, Beijing, and the U.S. Mission
to the European Union. Please see the action request in
paragraph 5.
¶2. (C) SUMMARY. The Department is closely monitoring the
cases of six American citizens, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd,
Josh Fattal, Kian Tajbakhsh, Reza Taghavi, and Robert
Levinson, who are unjustly detained or missing in Iran. We
ask action posts to raise these cases with relevant
interlocutors and request their assistance in urging Iran,s
leadership ) through the local Iranian Embassy and/or the
host country,s mission in Tehran ) to resolve these six
American cases. The Secretary demonstrated the USG,s
concern in her August 15 statement calling for the safe
return of all missing or unjustly detained American citizens
to the United States as quickly as possible so that they can
be reunited with their families. This request was reiterated
in the Secretary,s December 3 statement to commemorate the
1,000th day of Robert Levinson,s disappearance. On November
25, the White House stated, &The Iranian government cannot
earn the respect of the international community when it
violates universal rights, and continues to imprison innocent
people.8 END SUMMARY.
---------
Rationale
---------
¶3. (S) The Department is directing selected posts to request
assistance from the host government (and from Brussels in the
case of USEU) in pressing the Government of Iran to resolve
the cases of six American citizens who are missing or
unjustly detained in Iran, namely: Robert Levinson, who
disappeared in March 2007 on Kish Island; Kian Tajbakhsh, who
was sentenced on October 19 to 15 years in prison on charges
of violating national security; Reza Taghavi, who has been in
prison without formal charges since May 26, 2008; and Shane
Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal, who have been detained
without formal charges since July 31, 2009 when they were
hiking near the Iranian-Iraqi border.
¶4. (S) The goal of the demarche is to secure support from a
diverse range of diplomatic allies who can positively
influence Iran,s decision-making on this critical issue,
with arguments solely based on humanitarian grounds rather
than political, to try to take the issue out of the bilateral
context.
---------------
Action Request
---------------
¶5. (C) Posts are requested to approach appropriate host
government officials as soon as feasible and request
assistance in urging the Iranian government ) through the
resident Iranian Embassy and/or the host country,s mission
in Tehran ) to release the six American citizens as a
humanitarian gesture. Post should draw from the points in
paragraph 7, which may be left as a nonpaper.
---------------
Objectives
---------------
¶6. (C) Posts should seek to achieve the following:
-- Emphasize the United States, commitment to the protection
of American citizens abroad.
-- Convey that international interest in the six cases will
remain high until a just outcome is reached.
-- Request the host government,s assistance in pressing the
Iranians to release the six Americans as a humanitarian
gesture and sending Iran a message not to politicize their
cases. For the case of Robert Levinson, convey the
importance of resolving his whereabouts.
-- Convey the importance of raising all six cases, not just
those that are better known, such as the three hikers.
-- Convey to your interlocutors that should the Iranians
raise the issue of missing or detained Iranian nationals in
the United States, they should inform the Iranians that the
United States is willing to consider these concerns once they
are officially communicated to the Department via the Iranian
Interests Section at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington,
DC, as the United States has done with its cases via its
Swiss Protecting Power in Tehran.
---------------------------
Talking Points / Non-paper
---------------------------
¶7. (SBU) Begin talking points / nonpaper:
-- Ensuring the safety and security of American citizens
overseas is a priority for the United States. As
demonstrated in Secretary Clinton,s August 15 statement, the
United States is deeply concerned about the welfare of our
American citizens who have been detained or are missing in
Iran. These are fundamentally humanitarian concerns; none of
these people should be used for political gain. This request
was reiterated in the Secretary,s December 3 statement to
commemorate the 1,000th day of Robert Levinson,s
disappearance. On November 25, the White House stated, &The
Iranian government cannot earn the respect of the
international community when it violates universal rights,
and continues to imprison innocent people.8 We once again
urge Iran,s leadership to quickly resolve all outstanding
American citizen cases.
-- This includes the case of the American scholar, Kian
Tajbakhsh, who has spent his career working to improve the
quality of life of the people in Iran, through his work as an
urban planner. The government of Iran should commute his
sentence and immediately release Mr. Tajbakhsh and allow him
to depart Iran. On November 25, the White House made a
statement expressing our concern for Kian,s unjust
detainment.
-- Regarding the three American hikers, Joshua Fattal, Shane
Bauer, and Sarah Shourd, who were detained by Iranian
authorities on July 31, after accidentally crossing the
border from Iraq, we call on the Iranian government to permit
these three American citizens immediate contact with their
families and to release them without further delay.
-- Reza Taghavi, a 71 year-old retired businessman in failing
health, was taken into custody on May 26, 2008 and remains
imprisoned without formal charges. The government of Iran
should immediately release Mr. Taghavi from detention and
allow him to depart Iran.
-- We also remain concerned about the case of Robert
Levinson, who has been missing in Iran since March 9, 2007.
We call on the Government of Iran to provide any and all
information it may have on his whereabouts and to assist in
ensuring his prompt and safe return to the United States.
-- Our goal is to ensure the safe return of all our missing
or unjustly detained American citizens to the United States
as quickly as possible so that they can be reunited with
their families.
End points
-----------
Background
-----------
¶8. (C) The hikers: On July 31, Iranian authorities detained
Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal while hiking near
the Iraq/Iran border. On August 11, the Swiss Ambassador to
Iran received confirmation by phone of the detention of three
American hikers from the Iranian Vice Minister for Europe,
and was granted consular access on two occasions, September
29 and October 29. The Swiss Ambassador and SPP continue to
follow up with the MFA and the Iranian Mission in Bern with
little success despite repeated requests for the three hikers
to contact their loved ones and for additional consular
visits. Having given the Iranian government time to resolve
the case quietly, the families are now publicizing their
concerns about their children,s welfare and have enlisted
Congressional, Executive, and Foreign Mission support. The
Secretary released a statement on August 15 on the five AmCit
cases in Iran (the hikers, Tajbakhsh, and Levinson).
¶9. (C) Kian Tajbakhsh: Iranian authorities arrested dual
U.S.-Iranian citizen scholar Kian Tajbakhsh in his home in
Tehran on July 9 and he remains in prison. An expert on
urban planning, he used to work in Iran in association with
the Open Society Institute. Kian was sentenced to 15 years
in prison on October 19 on charges of violating national
security; he has filed an appeal, but a court date has not
been set. In 2007, he was arrested along with
Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari on charges of
endangering Iran,s national security and released four
months later. According to Iranian media, during the August
1 show trial Tajbakhsh and Iranian-Canadian Newsweek reporter
Maziar Bahari both &confessed8 to being part of a
conspiracy funded by Western NGOs and propagated by the media
to bring about a victory for Mousavi. Tajbakhsh,s family is
actively raising his case with the media and has requested
USG involvement in doing the same.
¶10. (C) Reza Taghavi: Iranian authorities arrested dual
U.S.-Iranian citizen Reza Taghavi in his home in Tehran on
May 26, 2008 and he remains in prison. He has been accused
of espionage and fomenting a &velvet8 revolution, although
no official charges have been lodged against him. He was
initially held in the political section of Evin Prison, but
has since been moved to the &normal8 section of the prison.
The Taghavi family initially did not seek USG involvement,
due to the potential negative affect it could have on his
case. The family changed their minds following the
cancellation of his court hearing on August 10. Mr. Taghavi
appeared before a court on November 25, where he asked for
his release, but the judge did not make any comments; another
trial date has been set for February 18, 2010. Pierre
Prosper, attorney and former Ambassador of War Crimes Issues,
represents the Taghavi case in the U.S.
¶11. (S) Robert Levinson: The former FBI agent was last seen
on Kish Island on March 9, 2007. Although the Iranians
consistently deny knowing what happened to Levinson, we have
strong reason to suspect that he is being detained in Iran.
Levinson family members continue to lobby for greater USG
activity and media attention to the case. While Iranian
authorities promised the Levinson family they would share the
results of their investigation, that promise has yet to be
fulfilled.
----------------------
Reporting Requirement
----------------------
¶12. (U) Post is instructed to report the results of its
efforts by January 8.
----------------
Point of Contact
----------------
¶13. (U) Department POCs for follow-up are: Michael G. Spring,
NEA/IR, 202-647-2516, SpringMG@State.gov; Brianne Marwaha,
NEA/IR, 202-647-2569, MarwahaBC@State.gov; and Carolee
Walker, CA/OCS/ACS/NESCA, 202-647-4997, WalkerCB@State.gov
¶14. (U) Department thanks posts for its assistance. Please
slug all responses for NEA/IR, CA, P, and the NSC.
CLINTON