VZCZCXRO4759
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHIHL #0097 1521431
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 011431Z JUN 06
FM REO HILLAH
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0631
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0645
INFO RUEHBC/REO BASRAH PRIORITY 0017
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHIHL/REO HILLAH 0696

S E C R E T HILLAH 000097 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/1/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KISL KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI AND AYATOLLAH SISTANI DISCUSS US-IRAN 
R=?ISO-8859-1?Q?ELATIONSHIP_AND_IRAN'S_ROLE_I N_IRAQ 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Douglas Meurs, Deputy Regional Coordinator, REO 
Hillah, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a SET Najaf cable. 
 
¶2.  (S) Summary:  On May 27, Iranian Foreign Minister (FM) 
Manouchehr Mottaki visited local officials and members of the 
religious community in Najaf.  Mottaki's visit began at one of 
Shia Islam's most holy sites, the Imam Ali Shrine.  He visited 
Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani and sought his guidance on a wide 
range of issues.  Sistani told Mottaki that Iran should stay 
neutral and not interfere in Iraqi internal affairs.  He 
declined to offer his views on U.S./Iranian bilateral issues, 
saying that the two nations should solve their problems off of 
Iraqi soil. Mottaki informed Sistani that Iran intended to open 
a consulate in Basra. End Summary. End summary. 
 
¶3.  (S//NOFORN) According to a reliable local source with direct 
knowledge of the meeting, Iranian FM Mottaki met May 27 with 
Ayatollah Al-Sistani at the cleric's home in Najaf.  Mottaki was 
accompanied by Najaf Governor Asaad Al-Taee and Deputy Governor 
Hassan.Abtan, both of the Supreme Council of the Islamic 
Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).  Mottaki passed along greetings from 
the Ayatollahs who compose the Hawza in Iran.  He went on to 
extend an invitation to Sistani to visit Iran. 
 
¶4.  (S) The two men discussed the role Iran should play in 
Iraq's future.  Sistani told Mottaki that Iran should be helping 
to stabilize the security situation in Iraq and that Iraq's 
neighbor should be a "partner in securing the shared border." 
The job of Iran in Iraq's affairs is to "not interfere in Iraqi 
internal affairs and stay neutral," the Ayatollah reminded the 
Foreign Minister.  Sistani added that Iran had an obligation to 
help Iraqi refugees living in the camps at the Iran-Iraq border. 
 
¶5.  (S) The Iranian FM noted that Iran had supported the 
government of Iraq in assisting with public services in Najaf 
and that they will continue that support.  He allowed that Iran 
would like to increase its official diplomatic representation in 
Iraq.  Mottaki told the Ayatollah of Iran's plan to open a new 
consulate in Basrah. 
 
¶6.  (S) Mottaki asked for Sistani's guidance regarding possible 
negotiations between the United States and Iran.  Without 
expressing an opinion regarding the problems, Sistani made it 
clear that the situation between the U.S. and Iran was not an 
Iraqi problem.  He asserted that "the two nations must solve 
their problems off of Iraq's soil." 
 
¶7.  (S) Comment:  Sistani's refusal to offer advice regarding 
Iran's relationship with the U.S. is in line with his stance 
that the Hawza in Najaf should not participate in politics.  He 
was quite clear with Mottaki, however, regarding Iran's 
activities in Iraq.  Without noting Iran's apparent support for 
violent activity, he let the Foreign Minister know that the 
Najaf Hawza was not pleased.  In the end, this visit was 
perfunctory and it seems unlikely that the private words of 
Ayatollah Al-Sistani will have a public impact.  The more 
Sistani recedes from public life, the stronger the hand of 
political groups such as SCIRI and the followers of Moqtada 
Al-Sadr to claim to speak on Sistani's behalf regarding the 
guidance his Hawza in Najaf has for Iraq's Shi'a Muslims.  End 
comment. 
 
MEURS