Cablegate: Second Update On Transfer of Boeing 747 to Iran by Ankair

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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1476 2281357
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 151357Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7167
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI IMMEDIATE 0353
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 1036
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3260
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 4610
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI IMMEDIATE 0083
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T ANKARA 001476

SIPDIS

EEB/ESC/TFS FOR CHERYL BRUNER, ISN/CPI, COMMERCE/OEE, EUR/SE, NEA/IR E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2028

TAGS: EAIR ETRD ETTC IR PARM PK PREL TU UK

SUBJECT: SECOND UPDATE ON TRANSFER OF BOEING 747 TO IRAN BY ANKAIR REF: A. SECSTATE 84112 B. ANKARA 1417

Classified By: Economic Counselor Dale Eppler for reasons 1.4(b) and (d ).

1.(U) This is an action request. Please see para. 7.

2.(S) This cable provides a second update on the status of the Boeing 747 transferred by Ankair to Iran Air discussed in reftels.

3.(S/REL TO UK, PAKISTAN) On August 13, Turkish MFA officials confirmed that the Boeing 747 was sold to Sam David Mahjoobi, who is listed in the Certified Aircraft Sale and Purchase agreement as the Director of Intelligent Aviation Services Limited, registration no. 6617221, incorporated in the UK, with registered offices at 5 Jupiter House, Callaeva Park Aldermaston, Reading, Berkshire RG7 8NN.

4.(S) The MFA also confirmed that the MD-80 sold to an unnamed UAE company and now operating out of Ukraine was at some point &wet-leased8 to Fars Air Qeshm Airlines. XXXXXXXXXXXX They also reiterated that the other MD-80 remains parked at Istanbul,s Ataturk Airport and that they have given orders for it to remain there.

5.(S) On August 14, MFA DDG for Aviation Basat Ozturk spoke with Econ Counselor regarding the case. An Iranian delegation arrived on August 13 in advance of the Ahmedinejad visit, and it included civil aviation experts. The Turkish Director General of Civil Aviation and the Transportation Deputy Undersecretary in charge of aviation, the two highest ranking GOT civil aviation authorities, raised this case with the Iranians. They specifically asked: (1) Why did the plane land in Iran when it was on its way to Pakistan? (2) Why is it still in Iran? (3) That the Iranians release the plane and allow it to continue to Pakistan. The Iranians had no immediate response and appeared not to know about the case. Ozturk also said that FM Babacan had been personally briefed about this case.

6.(S) Separately, Ozturk said that they had called Ankair owner Yavuz Cizmeci and told him that he needed to find Sam David Mahjoobi and get him either to move the plane to Pakistan or face unstated sanctions.

7.(S/REL TO UK) Ozturk asked if we could provide additional information about Mahjoobi. He said that the registry information we provided, while very welcome, was from 2007 and should have been updated. Also, birthdate and nationality information would be extremely useful to them to be able to place Majhoobi on their watch list.

ACTION REQUEST: Post requests that the Department provide any available biographic information on Sam David Mahjoobi. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at XXXXXXXXXXXX
SILLIMAN

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