Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Iran - Tokyo

VZCZCXRO6826
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #4786 2340210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220210Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5592
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 7744
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1073
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3849
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1204
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9980
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1675
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 004786

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION Q IRAN - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Tuesday morning's business-oriented Nihon
Keizai front-paged a report from Tehran concerning
remarks by Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, in which he
said Iran would continue to pursue nuclear technology.

1. There were no immediate editorials concerning
Ayatollah Khamenei's remarks.

2. "Khamenei's Remarks Make Settlement of Iranian Nuclear
Standoff Difficult" Cairo correspondent Hagi of the
moderate Tokyo Shimbun wrote (8/22): "According to media
reports from Tehran, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah
Khamenei said Monday on state television that Iran has
decided to continue its nuclear program. Iran is to
respond Tuesday to the comprehensive package submitted by
the P-5 plus Germany, which offers economic and other
incentives in return for Tehran halting its uranium
enrichment. Now that Khamenei has made clear his
rejection of the package as drafted, a settlement of the
Iranian nuclear standoff has become more difficult...."

3. "There is a growing consensus in diplomatic circles
that Tehran intends to continue with its nuclear program
and is using the negotiations to buy time. Iran's view
that Hezbollah was the winner in the recent crisis in
Lebanon appears to be a major cause of this hard-line
position. The UNSC has already adopted a resolution
warning Iran that it will consider sanctions unless
Tehran suspends it nuclear development by the end of this
month."

DONOVAN

© Scoop Media