VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0299/01 0551505
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241505Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2237
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 7042
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ANKARA 000299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: CVIS PREL PINS PGOV PHUM SOCI SCUL TU IR
SUBJECT: No Foreseeable Relief For Iranian Domestic Woes 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: CONOFFs surveyed Iranian Immigrant Visa (IV) and 
Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) applicants regarding the political, 
economic, and social conditions since the February 11 Revolution Day 
demonstrations.  Applicants expressed mixed views about the 
effectiveness of the Iranian opposition movement.  Some remain 
hopeful, but emphasize opposition success will take years, not 
months.  Others said the movement is finished.  Most Iranians voiced 
their continued anger over the outcome of last June's elections, but 
noted that many aspects of everyday life in Iran continue without 
government interference.  A few applicants complained about 
increased government pressures since the unrest began to comply with 
strict Islamic social norms.  A few applicants expressed optimism 
that Iran's economy is set to recover, giving no weight to 
opposition activities.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Most applicants thought the February 11 protests were much 
smaller than earlier protests.  A Tehrani civil engineer said that 
he and his wife refrained from going out that day due to fear of 
getting injured or killed.  He added the government's effective 
repression of the opposition indicates that any hopes for change may 
take years, not months.  Most applicants did not go out in public 
during the February 11 protests and based on what they learned; 
believe that the impact of the opposition movement is greatly 
reduced.  One Jewish IV applicant, who lives in a busy area of 
Tehran near the Ministry of Agriculture, said the Green Movement was 
finished.  She has not seen any sign of the opposition since 
February 11.  She added that she has never faced harassment nor 
heard of increased harassment towards the Jewish population due to 
the unrest. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A Tehrani housewife reported that on February 11 
protesters were dispersed among many streets in Tehran, but had come 
out in large numbers.  She said that it was a combination of 
security forces preventing them from congregating in one area and 
effective media restrictions which made the protest appear weaker 
than it was.  She noted soldiers in Tehran prevent groups of more 
than four persons from gathering.  She added that tear-gas and 
electrified batons are also among security force's deterrents.  She 
accounted how, although not involved in a protest three months ago, 
she attempted to help a young girl beaten brutally by security 
forces and was herself badly beaten.  She emphasized that Tehran is 
now under a state of military rule.  She said pressure by security 
forces to conform to Islamic social norms has been on the rise since 
the unrest began last June.  Another Iranian said that Iran has 
always been under military dictatorship.  An AMCIT accompanying her 
daughter on her IV interview said she was not harassed when she 
traveled to Iran this month, but had heard that the government is 
now using threats against people's bank assets to deter 
participation in the opposition. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Overall the government of Iran (GOI) has been effective in 
reducing the expectations for success of the Green Movement.  Since 
the February 11 protest, excitement for opposition success among 
applicants is significantly lower.  At best some hoped that in two 
to three years the opposition might be successful.  One applicant 
noted that the Islamic Revolution took many years to come to 
fruition.  A dentist from Tehran said that the economic situation is 
poor country-wide.  She added that outside of Tehran, in cities such 
as Isfahan, which are more religious and secure, the opposition is 
more muted.  She stated that people who have no business with the 
opposition are generally left alone, but those who show sympathy 
towards the opposition are heavily harassed.  A Tehrani youth, 
accompanying his grandmother to her IV interview, remarked that the 
majority of Tehrani's spirits have been crushed.  He added that no 
one in Tehran smiles in public anymore.  In contrast, a Kermanshahi 
businessman's main concern was not the political unrest, but the 
amount of dust coming over the border from Iraq.  He said that the 
dust is so bad that residents have to wear masks and sometimes have 
to close schools.  He added that Iranians are still upset about the 
elections and the economy could be better, but in Kermanshah the 
only sign of the opposition is the graffiti which supporters 
spray-paint on walls under cover of night. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Economic pressures remain a major concern mainly for 
Iran's youth.  An elderly woman living in Karaj, a suburb of Tehran, 
said that people like her, who are well-established, continue to 
live comfortably or at least survive, but that the youth of Iran 
continue to struggle with Iran's ailing economy.  An Isfahan 
University of Medical Sciences employee stated that although the 
world-wide recession has hurt everyone, it's the unprivileged youth 
of Iran who are suffering the most.  He emphasized that established 
wealthy and middle-class Iranians are able to live comfortably 
despite the economic problems.  He added that in Isfahan the Green 
Movement appears to have stopped, but added no one can predict the 
future. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) A few applicants, such as an older businessman from Rasht, 
reported no unrest in Northern Iran and had high hopes for Iran's 
economic future.  Another couple from Gorgan, the capital Golestan 
Province, said there has been no political unrest there.  A Bank 
Saderat Branch owner, whose brother was an Iran-Iraq War casualty, 
said the opposition movement was marginal.  He admitted the current 
economic situation in Iran is poor with unemployment around 25%, but 
emphasized his belief that in a couple years the economy would boom. 
 He attributed his hopes to heavy investments in massive building 
projects, including housing for Iran's growing population.  He added 
that Europe, China, and Russia continue to do business with Iran 
despite the threat of sanctions.  He added he hoped for improved 
relations with the U.S. as both countries would benefit 
economically.  He was optimistic about the government's pending 
multistage subsidy reforms.  He explained that the government wants 
to limit the amount of subsidies given depending on how much of each 
good a person uses.  He said, for example, the government would 
subsidize 80% of the cost of a specific quantity of gas per 
consumer, but anything over that would be purchased at full price. 
He noted the main challenge is finding a realistic way to implement 
this, but was confident that once implemented, the system would be 
more equitable and improve the economy. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT: Applicant aspirations for regime change or even 
systematic reform have faded significantly since the February 11 
protests.  With the next demonstrations planned for 
"Chaharshanbe-Suri", a pre-Iranian New Year cultural festival, it is 
unclear how much impact the Green Movement still has, and whether it 
can continue to pursue successfully its past tactics of trying to 
pressure the regime through large public marches and protests.  Most 
of our Iranian interlocutors believe not.  As time passes, it 
appears that the GOI has grown increasingly more effective at 
countering the Green Movement's tactics and efforts, and confident 
that it now has the upper hand.  On the other hand, accounts from 
visa applicants suggest that the regime is continuing to fail to 
find solutions to economic problems facing the unprivileged youth, a 
failure that will impact its long-term ability to control this 
population group.  END COMMENT. 
 
JEFFREY