NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE TO NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

SECRET S E C R E T WELLINGTON 000842 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2022 TAGS: KNNP, MNUC, PARM, IR, NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE TO NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM REF: STATE 162558 Classified By: U.S. Embassy Wellington DCM David J. Keegan, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (S) DCM met with MFAT Deputy Secretary Alan Williams December 4 to present NIE and talking points per reftel. Williams said that MFAT would immediately prepare a summary for cabinet and the Prime Minister. 2. (S) Williams commented that New Zealand has been clear in its messages to Iran in all fora that New Zealand will honor all UN mandated sanctions and that Iran must take the actions called for by the international community and the UN Security Council. It will be impossible for anything approaching a normal political or economic relationship until Iran does so. He added that trade between Iran and New Zealand is minimal, and even the scale of that trade is exaggerated by the record high prices for diary products, one of New Zealand's major export commodities. 3. (S) Williams added that, while some may seek to use the new NIE to argue against U.S. policy, our willingness to look critically at earlier assessments, reflects "all that is best in America." The message he would take from the NIE conclusions is that this is not the time to relax the international pressure, including sanctions, on Iran to meet IAEA and UNSC demands. McCormick