O 292134Z MAR 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO PAGE 02 STATE 040909 292142Z
ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS STATE 040909
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KNNP PARM KN IR
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF IRAN'S DEFENSE INDUSTRIES
ORGANIZATION UNDER E.O. 13382
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph
4.
OBJECTIVES
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2. (SBU) Washington requests that addressees notify host
government officials not earlier than 10:30 a.m. EST on
Friday, March 30, 2007 that the United States is
designating Iran's Defense Industries Organization (DIO)
under E.O. 13382 ("Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass
Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters") on
Friday, March 30, 2007. This information is embargoed
until after the designation has been publicized in the
United States. This designation is aimed at protecting the
U.S. financial system from financial activity supporting
ongoing proliferation facilitated by DIO. Addressees are
requested to provide the nonpaper in paragraph 4 to host
government officials.
REPORTING DEADLINE
------------------
3. (U) Posts should delay delivery until after public
announcement of the designation in the U.S., which will
occur at 10:30 a.m. EST on Friday, March 30, 2007. Please
report delivery of the U.S. nonpaper and any immediate
response by April 6, 2007. Please slug replies for ISN,
T, TREASURY, EUR, EAP and NEA. Please use SIPDIS caption
on all responses.
BACKGROUND/NONPAPER
-------------------
4. (U) Begin text of background/nonpaper:
The U.S. would like to inform your government that on
Friday, March 30, 2007, the U.S. Department of State is
designating Iran's Defense Industries Organization
pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 ("Blocking
Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and
Their Supporters"), an authority aimed at freezing the
assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and
their supporters and at prohibiting transactions and trade
between those designated entities and banks in U.S.
jurisdiction.
The following information will be added to The Department
of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons
("SDN list") and published in the Federal Register
pursuant to Executive Order 13382.
-- DEFENSE INDUSTRIES ORGANIZATION (a.k.a. DEFENCE INDUSTRIES
ORGANISATION; a.k.a DIO; a.k.a. SASEMAN SANAJE DEFA; a.k.a.
SAZEMANE SANAYE DEFA; a.k.a. "SASADJA", P.O. Box 19585-777,
Pasdaran Street, Entrance of Babaie Highway, Permanent Expo of
Defence Industries Organization, Tehran, Iran [NPWMD]
In addition to being listed in the Annex of UNSCR 1737,
DIO was sanctioned previously by the United States for
WMD- or missile-related activities under the Iran and
Syria Nonproliferation Act (ISNA), the Arms Export Control
Act, and the Export Administration Act.
DIO has also been identified by the IAEA as involved in
centrifuge component production for Iran's nuclear
program. A June 2004 report from the Director General of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's
implementation of IAEA resolutions noted that Iranian
authorities acknowledged, during the course of IAEA
verification activities during 2004, that composite rotors
for use in P-2 centrifuges had been fabricated in a
workshop situated on a DIO site.
This action helps implement the legal obligation set forth
in UNSCR 1737 for countries to freeze the assets of
entities and individuals named in the Annex of the
resolution, thereby undermining the organization's ability
to support Iranian proliferation activities.
We urge your government to investigate financial
relationships and transactions in which designated Iranian
proliferation entities have an interest. Where it is
suspected that these relationships and transactions may be
facilitating Iran's proliferation activities, we urge you
to cease dealings with the entities in question.
We look forward to working with you on this and other
related security matters and are prepared to provide
additional assistance as appropriate.
End background/nonpaper.
POINT OF CONTACT
----------------
5. (U) Questions may be directed to ISN/CPI (Jennifer
Chalmers, 202-647-0186, or Anthony Ruggiero, 202-647-
5181).
6. Minimize considered.
RICE
NNNN
End Cable Text