Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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169. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent engagements with the Government of Iran, including at ambassador or embassy level; whether he has raised concerns regarding human rights abuses during these engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28481/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 169 together.

Ireland has been clear in its condemnation of the repression of protests by the Iranian authorities, as well as the longstanding concerns about human rights in Iran. We have repeatedly called on Iran to respect the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. We have raised our concerns directly with the Iranian Embassy in Dublin and with officials in Tehran. Senior officials from my Department again raised these issues during political consultations in Tehran last month.

In 2022, Ireland again co-sponsored the annual Canadian-led resolution on Iran at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution addresses a broad range of human rights issues.

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. Ireland also supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Iran, Mr Javaid Rehman. We consistently call on the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the mandates of the fact-finding mission and the UN Special Rapporteur, including allowing them to visit Iran and conduct relevant meetings.

The executions carried out by the Iranian authorities and sentencing of protestors using the death penalty is unjustifiable. Ireland calls on Iran to immediately impose a moratorium on the death penalty, consider alternative sentencing, and revoke death sentences issued for involvement in protests.

Ireland has supported the addition of a number of individuals and entities linked to human rights violations to the EU’s Iran human rights sanctions regime. Restrictive measures now apply to over 200 individuals and more than 30 entities in Iran. These include asset freezes, EU travel bans, and a ban on exports to Iran of equipment which might be used for internal repression.

The Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to monitor developments in Iran, and to raise our concerns consistently and directly with the Iranian government. We will work closely with our EU partners to ensure there is a joint, coordinated, and clear response to the actions of the Iranian authorities. Further sanctions will be considered as the situation develops.