John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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597. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of his contacts to date with representatives of the dictatorship in Iran in relation to his proposal to reopen an Irish embassy in Iran; and if this proposal was discussed at either of the Minister's meetings with the Iranian foreign minister during 2021. [63258/22]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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598. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of all meetings held with all ministers or other representatives of the dictatorship in Iran from 14 June 2017 to date, together with the venues of those meetings. [63259/22]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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599. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will list all lobby groups, representative bodies, trade organisations, voluntary groups or private companies which have contacted him to seek the reopening of an Irish embassy in Iran from 14 June 2017 to date. [63260/22]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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603. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the assessment that his Department has made of reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran is carrying out executions against anti-government protestors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63511/22]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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610. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised the matter of protesters in Iran facing long-term imprisonment and death sentences with the Iranian authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1065/23]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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611. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if additional tougher sanctions will be discussed at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting to be applied on Iran following this involvement in the Ukraine war. [1218/23]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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613. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he condemns the actions of the Iranian Government for its execution of activists, journalists and protesters; if he is engaging with officials there to communicate the views of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1436/23]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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630. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of his engagement with the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning recent protests for women’s rights and the treatment of protestors by state security services. [2425/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 to 599, inclusive, 603, 610, 611, 613 and 630 together.

I commend the courage of the Iranian women and men who continue to exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. While their protests were prompted by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, many more children, women and men have died since. I extend my condolences to the loved ones of all those who have died. The protestors’ slogan of "Women, Life, Freedom" is clear, and has resonated with many in Ireland as well.

Iran must adhere to its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Ireland opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and has consistently raised our concerns around the number of executions in Iran, including through the Universal Periodic Review process at the Human Rights Council. Ireland joined EU partners in condemning the execution of Iranian British National Alireza Akbari. I am horrified that Iran has started to execute people for their alleged involvement in the protests. I again urge Iran to declare a moratorium on executions, to revoke death sentences issued for involvement in protests and to consider alternative sentencing.

Ireland raises human rights concerns with Iran at every suitable opportunity. In 2022, Ireland again co-sponsored the annual Canadian-led resolution at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution addresses a broad range of human rights violations in Iran. Ireland also co-sponsored the convening of a special session of the Human Rights Council on 24 November 2022 which voted to create a fact-finding mission to investigate and report on the human rights situation in Iran.

Since 2017, there has been a significant increase in bilateral contacts between Ireland and Iran. Then-Minister Coveney visited Tehran in February 2021 and in February 2022. Former President Rouhani and former Foreign Minister Zarif visited Dublin in March 2021. Ministerial meetings were also held during the UN General Assembly high level week in September 2021 and September 2022.

Political consultations have taken place at official level, in February 2020 (Tehran), May 2021 (Dublin), and November 2021 (Dublin). Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and our Chargé d'Affaires engage frequently with Iranian officials in Dublin, in Tehran and at other international venues.

At this challenging time, it is critical that diplomatic channels remain open in order to directly communicate with the Iranian government. In 2021 the Government decided to re-establish an Irish diplomatic presence in Iran in two phases. In August 2021 we appointed a Chargé d’Affaires in Tehran, with the Irish Embassy in Ankara remaining accredited to Iran. Planning is underway to re-open the Embassy in 2023. As with all Embassy openings, plans are regularly reviewed in the light of political and security developments. 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 deliver more effectively clear and firm messages on a wide range of issues including, the broad human rights situation in Iran, the disproportionate response of the Iranian security forces to the recent ongoing protests, as well as bilateral relations and regional issues, consular matters, nuclear non-proliferation and the supply of weapons to Russia.

Ireland’s diplomatic presence in Tehran since August 2021 was critical for engagement with Iran on a number of key regional issues that we worked on at the UN Security Council, including Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and the Iran nuclear deal. Those issues continue to be priorities for Ireland after our term on the Council. On these and other regional and global political, security, and economic issues, Iran is a country with significant influence.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has no record of lobby groups, representative bodies, trade organisations, voluntary groups or private companies which have sought the reopening of the Irish Embassy in Iran since 14 June 2017 to date.

Sanctions are an important foreign policy tool, used to deter States from pursuing actions which threaten international stability, or from harming citizens in their own country. Since 2011, the EU has applied sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations in Iran. Ireland works with our EU partners to ensure that all sanctions are targeted and contain clear exemptions for humanitarian actors.

At the 17 October 2022 meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Member States agreed to expand the Iran human rights sanctions regime to target eleven individuals and four entities in response to their involvement in the death of Mahsa Amini, and the government’s violent response to demonstrations. On 20 October 2022, additional sanctions against Iranian individuals and an entity involved in the development of drones and their delivery to Russia were adopted. On 14 November 2022, a further 29 individuals and three entities were sanctioned in relation to the protests. On 12 December 2022, 20 individuals and one entity were sanctioned under the Human Rights sanctions regime, as well as four individuals and four entities under the Ukraine Territorial Integrity sanctions regime.

Further restrictive measures will be considered in the coming weeks as the situation continues to develop.

Officials from my Department will continue to monitor developments in Iran, and to raise our concerns directly with the Iranian government. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners in the EU to ensure there is a joint, coordinated, and clear response to the actions of the Iranian authorities.