Viewing cable 09STATE47326, SBU) QUESTIONS ON REMOVAL OF ANTI-AMERICAN

Viewing cable 09STATE47326, SBU) QUESTIONS ON REMOVAL OF ANTI-AMERICAN

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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
09STATE47326	2009-05-08 20:08	2010-11-28 18:06	SECRET//NOFORN	Secretary of State

VZCZCXRO0101
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #7326 1282021
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 082009Z MAY 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO IRAN COLLECTIVE

S E C R E T STATE 047326 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2034 
TAGS: PINR IR
SUBJECT: (SBU)  QUESTIONS ON REMOVAL OF ANTI-AMERICAN 
SLOGANS AND ART FROM TEHRAN'S BUILDINGS (C-NE9-00993) 
 
Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS.  REASON:  1.4(C). 
 
¶1.  (C/NF)  WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE HIGHLY INTERESTED IN 
CONFIRMING A REPORT REGARDING AN IRANIAN GOVERNMENT DECISION 
TO REMOVE ANTI-AMERICAN SLOGANS AND ART FROM TEHRAN'S 
BUILDINGS.  THIS DECISION WAS REPORTED IN AN AGENCE FRANCE 
PRESSE (AFP) ARTICLE ON 7 APRIL AND THE US-BASED IRAN TIMES 
ON 17 APRIL 2009.  THESE CHANGES COULD REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT 
INDICATOR ON TEHRAN'S VIEWS TOWARDS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE US 
AND FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE EFFORT AND GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE DECISION, POSTS' TIME AND RESOURCES 
PERMITTING, WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE. 
 
¶A.  (U)  WHAT, IF ANY, ANTI-AMERICAN SLOGANS AND MURALS ARE 
CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED IN TEHRAN, INCLUDING THOSE IN AZADI 
SQUARE AND THE "DOWN WITH AMERICA" MURAL ON KARIM KHAN 
AVENUE?  WHAT, IF ANY, PLANS ARE THERE TO REPLACE SUCH MURALS? 
 
¶B.  (U)  IF THERE ARE PLANS TO REPLACE THE MURALS, WHO 
AUTHORIZED THEM? WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR THE MURAL 
REPLACEMENT PLAN? 
 
1)  (U)  THE AFP ARTICLE MENTIONS MOHAMMAD REZA SHARIF KAZEMI 
AS THE CITY OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT, WHAT IS HIS 
POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT? 
 
2)  (U)  HOW MANY MURALS WILL BE REPLACED? 
 
¶C.  (U)  WHAT, IF ANY, PLANS ARE THERE TO EXTEND THE MURAL 
REPLACEMENT TO CITIES BESIDES TEHRAN? 
 
¶D.  (U)  HOW WIDELY HAS THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE ART BEEN 
PUBLISHED IN IRANIAN PRESS? 
 
¶E.  (U)  WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION OF THE IRANIAN 
PUBLIC/PRESS TO THE DECISION? 
 
¶F.  (U)  WHAT, IF ANY, ROLE HAS TEHRAN MAYOR QALIBAF PLAYED 
IN THIS DECISION? TEHRAN CITY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN CHAMRAN? 
PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD? SUPREME LEADER KHAMENEI? RELIGIOUS 
LEADERS IN QOM? 
 
¶G.  (U)  WHAT, IF ANY, DEBATE IS THERE AMONG GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS ON THIS EFFORT? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS OF 
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (PLEASE IDENTIFY) EITHER FOR OR AGAINST 
THE PLAN? 
 
¶2.  (U)  PLEASE CITE C-NE9-00993 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF 
REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. 
CLINTON