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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000056 NOFORN SIPDIS, DEA HQ FOR HARRIGAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR PREF IR AF SUBJECT: TEHRAN-BASED UN OFFICIALS CONVEY IRIG INTEREST IN COOPERATION ON AFGHAN REFUGEES, NARCOTICS DUBAI 00000056 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Ramin Asgard, Director, Iran Regional Presence Office, DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b), (c), (d) ¶ 1. (S/NF) Summary: xxxxx based in Tehran, in separate conversations with IRPO officers, said that officials in Iran's Ministry of Interior are willing to work with the United States on issues relating to Afghanistan within a United Nations framework. Specifically, they noted that the IRIG is seeking cooperation and assistance to address the problems of refugees/economic migrants from Afghanistan and combating the flow of narcotics from Afghanistan. Both men pointed to xxxxx as the likely IRIG lead on any such initiative. End summary. Refugees and Counter Narcotics: Potential Areas for Technical Cooperation ¶ 2. (S/NF) During a November xxxxx described counter-narcotics and refugees as areas ripe for cooperation between Iran and the United States. xxxxx there is strong support within the Ministry of Interior for a joint and pragmatic approach to address problems emanating from Afghanistan. xxxxx argued that elements within the IRIG, particularly at the sub-ministerial and working levels, would be comfortable working with the USG under the UN umbrella. In a separate conversation, xxxxx said that Iranian officials have repeatedly expressed interest to UNODC staff in Iran about working multilaterally, including with the US and the UK, to combat the production of drugs in Afghanistan as well as drug trafficking to/through Iran. ¶ 3. (S/NF) xxxxx said that any contribution on the part of the United States toward easing the societal and economic burdens the instability in Afghanistan places on Iran would be well received by both the people and the government of Iran. Iranians, in his estimation, feel that their assistance to Afghan refugees over the decades of war in that country has been unappreciated by the international community in general and the US in particular. xxxxx also argued that explicit and tangible contributions to refugee assistance, above and beyond our contributions to UNHCR, would help undermine IRIG officials' attempts to portray USG actions in the region as inhumane. xxxxx cited increasing negative domestic press coverage of the effects on Iran caused by the "reverse flow" of economic migrants from Afghanistan to Iran. At the same time, xxxxx cautioned against the USG publicly trying to take credit for its assistance, as publicity could backfire by causing MOI officials to back away. ¶ 4. (S/NF) Both xxxxx as a potential interlocutor for both counter-narcotics and refugee issues. xxxxx is xxxxx able to "get many things done." xxxxx is known as a pragmatist rather than an ideologue and has a solid working relationship with the xxxxx in Iran. ¶ 5. (S/NF) xxxxx believes that just within the past couple of months, members of Tehran's political elite who favor cooperation with the West on Afghanistan have become noticeably emboldened. xxxxx. While acknowledging that invitation-only discussions held in think tanks and research centers affiliated with state institutions hardly signals a sea change in official thinking, xxxxx argued forcefully that just a few months ago such events would have been unthinkable. ¶ 6. (S/NF) In a separate discussion with xxxxx in early November, IRPO first heard that the Iranian Dubai 00000056 002.2 of 002 government - in this case xxxxx - was keenly interested in counternarcotics cooperation with the US. Following up above via two separate UN agency officials based in Iran, we are now confident that this interest is genuine, although we can not ascribe IRIG motivations. Asgard