VZCZCXRO3075
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHSA #0383 0561258
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 251258Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1343
INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 7603
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY 1667
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG PRIORITY 9958
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000383 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR P, NEA/IR, DRL/NESCA, AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KNUC PARM NPT SA
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA DIVIDED INTERNALLY ON IRAN 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 12108 
     ¶B. PRETORIA 00325 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Donald H. Gips for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In conversations and meetings in Cape Town on 
the margins of the opening of Parliament, the Ambassador 
heard repeatedly that the SAG is conflicted on how to deal 
with Iran with respect to human rights and nuclear 
non-proliferation. While they are mindful of South Africa's 
dependence on the Islamic Republic for oil and of other 
commercial interests, South African decision-makers are 
concerned about the Government of Iran's (GOI) severe human 
rights violations.  Deputy Minister in the Department of 
International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Ebrahim 
Ismail Ebrahim put it plainly, "We haven't sorted this out 
yet." End summary. 
 
---------------------- 
CONFLICTING PRIORITIES 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) In a conversation with the Ambassador, Ebrahim 
acknowledged that South Africa is very divided internally 
about Iran.  When the Ambassador pushed for clarity on the 
nature of the division, Ebrahim did not elaborate and said 
simply, "We haven't sorted this out yet." 
 
¶3. (C) During a separate meeting, Speaker of the National 
Assembly Max Sisulu asserted that his visit to Iran was 
simply a Parliamentary visit.  He dodged the Ambassador's 
questions about the GOI's human rights violations.  On the 
nuclear issue, Sisulu said that South Africa told the GOI it 
would support its peaceful nuclear ambitions.  When the 
Ambassador expressed the USG's incredulity that the GOI's 
pursuit of nuclear capability is for peaceful purposes, 
Sisulu avoided further discussion of the issue.  He did point 
out that cellular network operator MTN and the South African 
Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) are huge players in the 
Iranian marketplace. 
 
¶4. (C) Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool, who was 
part of the delegation that traveled to Tehran in early 
February, shared more details during a hallway conversation. 
Rasool confirmed that the GOI was furious with South Africa 
for the SAG's abstention on the Iran vote in the Third 
Committee session of UNGA, and for not at least alerting the 
GOI that the RSA was changing its vote. He also insisted that 
the USG's pressure is backfiring because President 
Ahmadinejad simply uses it to unite his citizens against the 
West, adding that international pressure does not matter 
since the government is effectively crushing the internal 
opposition.  Rasool claims that the Chairman of the Iranian 
Parliament, Ali Larijani, would have been president except 
that he comes from the wrong tribe.  He feels that Larijani 
and two of his brothers are the best hope for a more stable 
Iran. While in Tehran, Rasool tried to arrange meetings with 
the opposition, but claims he could not secure any because 
everyone is too afraid to talk. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) During the Mbeki Presidency, SAG officials tended to 
emphasize both South Africa's economic relations with Iran 
and a view of the Islamic Republic which portrayed it as part 
of the anti-Western forces with which Mbeki sought to 
identify his foreign policy.  While President Zuma has begun 
to distance his administration from this latter tendency, the 
SAG still appears to bend over backwards to portray Iranian 
actions in a favorable light.  That, and the continuing 
importance of South African-Iranian trade relations continue 
to be weighed in the balance against Iran's appalling human 
Qto be weighed in the balance against Iran's appalling human 
rights record.  Given these competing pressures, the SAG is, 
at least for now, unlikely to denounce Iranian human rights 
violations publicly, or challenge Iran on non-proliferation 
issues.  We, nonetheless, intend to continue pushing SAG 
officials on these issues.  End comment. 
GIPS