VZCZCXRO7676
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHNP RUEHROV
DE RUEHLA #0067/01 1390904
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 190904Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL BARCELONA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1143
INFO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1102
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 0002
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DHS IP BP WASH DC
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 1323

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BARCELONA 000067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE (SAMSON/ZERDECKI), CA, AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  5/18/2019 
TAGS: PREF PTER SP
SUBJECT: IRANIAN REFUGEE SEEKERS REQUEST HELP TO RESETTLE IN THE 
U.S. 
 
BARCELONA 00000067  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Todd D. Robinson, Principal Officer, AmConsul 
Barcelona, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (e) 
¶1. (S)  Summary:  An Iranian couple called the Consulate May 6 
seeking help in obtaining refugee status in the United States. 
The couple, who claim to have information on Iran's terrorist 
activities, say they've been in Spain since March and believe 
their lives are threatened by Iran.  The wife, Naghmeh Jafary 
Nia, traveled to the U.S. for an IV program in 2007.  The 
husband, Robic Mehrabian (aka, Kambiz Khashchian), had an NIV 
application denied, we believe 221(g), in 2008.  ORA has 
interviewed the couple twice, and they have been told they will 
likely have to go through a lengthy UNHCR process.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (S)  Naghmeh Jafary Nia (DPOB:  June 14 1977, Abadan, Iran) 
and her husband, Robic Mehrabian (DPOB:  March 28, 1978, Tehran, 
Iran) (aka, Kambiz Khashchian DPOB:  June 25, 1973, Tehran, 
Iran) appeared May 7, 2009, and spoke with our senior ACS 
assistant.  They requested help to obtain refugee status, and 
presumably resettlement, in the United States.  ACS assistant 
alerted CG, who alerted ORAoff. 
 
¶3. (S)  On May 8 and May 15, 2009, ORA met with Jafary Nia and 
Mehrabian.  They related their harrowing story of escape from 
Iran, and their eventual arrival at the Barcelona chapter of the 
International Red Cross where they have been since March 15, 
¶2009.  They said they feared for their lives here and requested 
more information and help with refugee procedures.  They again 
repeated their desire to go to the United States.  After 
obtaining an extensive brief on their backgrounds, ORAoff told 
them they would likely have to go through the UNHCR refugee 
process. 
 
¶4. (S) The couple claimed they left Iran on February 22, 2009. 
They used false passports to get out of the country and traveled 
to Turkey and Morocco before ending up in Spain.  Jafary Nia is 
a doctor who we believe traveled to the U.S. before to 
participate in an International Visitor program on infectious 
diseases.  She specialized in microbiology at Shahid Beheshti 
University. 
 
¶5.  (S)  Mehrabian, her husband, appeared under a false name, 
Kambiz Khashchian, and occupation, a doctor at the same 
university, when he applied for a visa in 2008, in Dubai.  He 
confessed to us that he is a pilot (the first time he appeared 
at the Consulate in an airline uniform).  He also had several 
airline ID's.  He told ORAoff he left Iran after being pressured 
to fly arms to suspected terrorists for the Iranian government. 
 
 
¶6. (S)  Through some checking CG Barcelona, CG Madrid, and ORA 
verified the following: 
 
--  Jafary Nia apparently received a visa and took part in an 
International Visitor program in 2007 (Control no. 2007263 001 
0001). 
 
--  Jafary Nia (Control no. 2008246 104 0004) and Mehrabian -- 
using the name Khashchian (Control no. 2008246 104 0003) -- both 
applied again in Dubai on September 2, 2008.  It appears both 
were refused 221(g).  At that time, both appeared to have 
received "A" referrals. 
 
--  Mehrabian admitted giving false information on his 
application.  On his application he claims to be a medical 
doctor.  The information he showed us indicates he is a pilot. 
Naghmeh insists all her information is correct.  She displayed 
detailed knowledge of her scientific expertise during her 
interviews with ORA. 
 
¶7. (S) Both claim they have knowledge of the inner workings of 
Iran's Revolutionary Guard and possibly bio-chemical programs, 
and are seeking resettlement in a country that can protect them 
from Iranian security services.  ACS assistant has given them 
information on contacting the UNHCR, and ORA continues to meet 
with them regarding information on Iran.  We will also be in 
touch with the regional refugee coordinator in Rome. 
 
¶8. (S)  Comment:  There are several angles to this case that 
raise questions.  First, a close look at the applications 
presented by Jafary Nia do not readily indicate that the women 
in the pictures are all the same person.  The woman pictured in 
the 2007 application, when a visa was granted, does not appear 
to be the woman whose picture was taken at the port of entry. 
And, the woman represented in the 2008 application appears to be 
a different woman as well.  Mehrabian/Khashchian has already 
admitted giving false information on his application.  Second, 
 
BARCELONA 00000067  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
there is little explanation for why they waited two and half 
months to contact us if they believed their lives were in 
danger. We will likely speak with them, as well as regional DHS 
refugee officials, in the coming days to see what the next 
course of action should be.  Third, records show that both 
received signed "A" referrals for their 2008 applications.  End 
Comment. 
ROBINSON