VZCZCXRO1171
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #6697/01 1800842
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 262146Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT IMMEDIATE 1237-1238
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 6868-6869
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU IMMEDIATE 8727-8728
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 2059-2060
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 5056-5057
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 3052-3053
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI IMMEDIATE 0105-0106
INFO IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 4427-4428
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 9041-9042

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 066697 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX IZ TU UK GM AJ AE IR
SUBJECT: KUDOS TO IRPO AND IRAN WATCHERS FOR SUSTAINED 
EXCELLENCE 
 
REF: STATE 63812 
 
STATE 00066697  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
FROM NEA ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY JEFFREY FELTMAN 
 
¶1. (SBU) On behalf of the Department and the wider government 
community, I extend our sincere gratitude to each IRPO 
officer and Iran Watcher for sustained excellence in 
reporting on the continually changing situation in 
post-election Iran. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The disturbing events that have transpired in Iran 
since June 12 were unanticipated by most of us. Without a 
post in Iran and given the Iranian government crackdown on 
its citizens, journalists, foreign diplomats, and most modes 
of communication, our ability to get reliable news and make 
sense of the situation here in Washington has proved most 
difficult.  But each one of you have assisted us in 
overcoming these challenges by providing valuable information 
and analyses based on your expertise in Iranian affairs, 
discussions with your contacts, meetings with host government 
interlocutors, and mining of a wide-range of local and 
Iranian media and internet sources.  Your work has 
not gone without notice; I personally have received messages 
of appreciation and know your reporting is being factored 
into developing our policy responses to events. 
 
-- IRPO's Kay McGowan, Charlie Pennypacker, and Brian Kelly: 
Despite being short-staffed, you have ensured that IRPO 
twice-a-day Iran Spot Reports are timely, dispassionate and 
cover the key issues of interest to policy makers. In short, 
you consistently distill the facts, provide valuable insight 
and context, and avoid the fluff. 
 
-- Ashgabat Iran Watcher Inger Tangborn: To reiterate (STATE 
63812), I highly commend your recent cables providing a 
snapshot of Iranian election perspectives. Of particular 
interest to the 7th floor was your cable that captured the 
"man on the street" views.  The view of this socioeconomic 
class is key to understanding Iran and Washington benefits 
greatly from any insight into this group into which we have 
minimal if any access. 
 
--Baku Iran Watcher Richard McCrensky: Given the large Azeri 
population in Iran and the Azeri origin of Iranian 
Presidential candidate Mir Hussein Mousavi, the perspective 
from Baku on the election and its aftermath has been of much 
interest to the interagency community. And you went above and 
beyond, providing a wide-range of perspectives from Azeri 
officials, ordinary Azeri citizens and Iranians residing in 
Azerbaijan. 
 
--Baghdad Iran Watchers John Buzbee and Carrie Flinchbaugh: 
As a neighbor with strong ties to Iran, Iraqi perspectives on 
the situation in Iran are valuable.  Both of you -- despite 
the challenges of living and working in Baghdad -) have 
obtained useful insights from a number of sources. Your 
discussions with Iraqi President Talabani were of particular 
interest given his close relationship with Iranian officials. 
 
 
-- Berlin Iran Watcher Kari Paetzold: Not only do I 
appreciate your reporting based on your discussions with 
established contacts, but also your up-to-date insightful 
reporting on the German government,s reaction to the 
elections.  I also note your timely responses, even during 
your weekend, to urgent Washington requests to clarify rumors 
that foreign diplomatic posts in Tehran were providing 
medical services to wounded Iranian protestors. 
 
--Istanbul Iran Watcher Geoff Odlum: Thank you for your 
outstanding series of cables that covered a wide-range of 
election-related issues from the use of Facebook by Iranian 
citizens, to a former IRGC member,s belief that the election 
was an IRGC coup, to a perspective on behind-the-scenes 
election monitoring.  These cables contribute to our efforts 
 
STATE 00066697  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
to understand what Iranians believe happened during the 
election and how they are responding to developments. 
 
--London Watcher Michael Gayle:  I appreciate not only your 
reports based on discussions with your well-established, 
well-placed contacts, but also your ability to obtain 
up-to-date information and perspectives from HMG officials. 
Your ability to develop strong cooperative working 
relationships with the FCO and other UK officials has 
benefited all of us. 
 
Best, 
 
Jeff 
CLINTON