Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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261. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the proposed reopening of the Irish Embassy in Tehran in 2023; his views that this should be deferred in light of recent events in Iran and until the completion of a special investigation by the UN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60745/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Embassy in Iran was closed in 2012 for financial reasons. In 2021 the Government decided to re-establish an Irish diplomatic presence in Iran in two phases. The first phase began in August 2021 with the appointment of a Chargé d’affaires in Tehran, co-located in the German Embassy in Tehran, with the Irish Embassy in Ankara remaining accredited to Iran. The second phase involves the re-opening of the Embassy in Tehran in 2023.

While planning is underway on this basis, as with all Embassy openings, plans are regularly reviewed in the light of political and security developments. I would note that there is strong EU engagement with Iran, and 22 Member States have a diplomatic presence in Tehran.

As is the case with all Ireland’s diplomatic contacts with other governments, the input and analysis from Irish diplomats and officials on the ground play an essential role in ensuring that our policy and political discussions, at all levels, are as informed and impactful as possible. An Irish Embassy in Tehran will also allow Ireland to more effectively deliver clear and firm messages directly to the Iranian government, including on issues like human rights and Iran’s nuclear activities.

Ireland’s diplomatic presence since August 2021 has been critical for engagement with Iran on a number of key regional files we have worked on at the UN Security Council, including Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and the Iran nuclear deal. Those issues will continue to remain priorities for Ireland after our term on the Council. While there is a relatively small population of Irish citizens living in Iran, and trade is currently limited due to the impact of sanctions, Iran remains a country with significant influence on the political, security, and economic dynamics of the broader Middle East.

I have raised my concerns on the situation in Iran directly with the Iranian Foreign Minister when I met him at the UN General Assembly in New York on 21 September, and when I spoke with him by phone on 6 October. On 20 October, I summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland and again reiterated my serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini and the unjustified response of the Iranian security forces to the women and men who are protesting.

Ireland has fully supported the united EU response to Iran's disproportionate and violent suppression of protests and its transfer of weapons to Russia, including  sanctions applied on 17 October and on 14 November. On 24 November Ireland co-sponsored the resolution at a special session of the Human Rights Council on Iran to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate and report on the human rights situation in Iran, which was adopted.

In using all possible channels, the Iranian government is in no doubt of Ireland’s concerns about Iran’s actions in relation to the crackdown on protestors, the human rights of women and girls, its non-compliance with its nuclear obligations and the supply of military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine.