Iran protests and embassy
Deputy Phelan raised the Iranian regime’s violent crackdown on protests and asked about Ireland reopening an embassy in Tehran. The Foreign Minister said Ireland had condemned the violence, backed EU sanctions and a Human Rights Council session, and was still assessing the timing of any embassy decision.
I raise with the Government, specifically the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the 70 days of protests we have seen - at this stage it is a revolution - on the streets of Iran. On 16 September, the morality police of the Islamic Republic killed 22-year-old Ms Mahsa Amini for deeming her not to be wearing an appropriate hijab while she visited Tehran from her native city in the Kurdistan region of Iran. So far, nearly 500 people have been killed, including more than 40 members of the media, and almost 17,000 people have been arrested. Is it true that Ireland is considering opening or will open an embassy in Tehran next year? This would be an appalling slap in the face to the ordinary citizens of Iran who are currently risking their lives on a daily basis against what is one of the most vile and barbaric regimes anywhere in the world. I urgently ask the Government to reconsider if that proposal is being thought about.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Phelan. I know the Deputy feels strongly about this issue as he and I have spoken about it a number of times. We are using every opportunity we can to raise our concerns directly with the Iranian Government and also in multilateral forums in relation to what is currently happening in Iran. There has been a violent crackdown on protesters and we have seen loss of life in the past 70 days, with more than 40 children killed during that crackdown in the context of the legitimate protests that have taken place. We have co-sponsored a convening of a special session of the Human Rights Council tomorrow in Geneva to look at human rights abuses and these issues in Iran.
Comment on this
We have supported two new rounds of sanctions over the past number of weeks that have been agreed at an EU level.
Comment on this
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. We agreed as a Government in 2021 to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran.
We have been in the German Embassy since then with a chargé d'affaires. We are looking at the appropriateness of opening an embassy again next year. We had an embassy up to 2012. We are watching very closely political developments in Iran before finalising that decision.