Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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5. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland fully recognises the Islamic Republic of Iran as a democratic state, with free and fair elections; to outline its current status in terms of diplomatic relations held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27907/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has recognised and had diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran since its establishment in 1979. Ireland and Iran maintain resident embassies in each other’s capitals. Diplomatic recognition of a state does not imply or connote any judgement or assessment of its system of government, values or the policies of its government. As frequently discussed in the Dáil, Ireland and our EU partners have significant differences with and concerns about the policies of Iran. Its external policies have added to regional instability and concerns about national security within the EU. Its internal policies are repressive and not in accord with international covenants and treaties on basic rights.

Elections are held in Iran and the parliament is a serious political organ. But neither can be regarded as free and fair in that only candidates explicitly approved by the system may stand and be elected, and this mechanism has been used regularly to exclude large numbers of potential candidates.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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6. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there are any plans for Ireland to refer Iran’s human rights abuses to the UN Security Council and request that the UN Human Rights Council establish a Special Tribunal for Iran, as requested by the UN Special Rapporteur in July 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27908/25]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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7. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what efforts have been made to put pressure on Iran to cease torture, executions, to free political prisoners and detained protesters, whether more is planned in this regard at Irish or EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27909/25]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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10. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the statements he has he made regarding ongoing executions in Iran (details supplied); the further action that is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27912/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7 and 10 together.

I am deeply concerned by the continued and widespread use of the death penalty and arbitrary detention in Iran. Iran has significantly increased its executions in recent years, and now reportedly carries out more than half of all the executions in the world outside China. Accordingly, the death penalty and arbitrary detention are a principal focus of Ireland's engagement with Iran on human rights issues. Ireland is strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances. The final and irreversible nature of the death penalty underlines the impropriety of its use as a criminal punishment. Accordingly, Ireland continues to seek its abolition, in Iran and universally.

Ireland raises the issue of the death penalty privately and bilaterally in our contacts with Iranian leaders and officials in Ireland and Iran, including in the last round of political consultations with representatives of the Iranian Foreign Ministry held in Dublin in 2024. We also do so publicly and multilaterally, in the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council. In January, Ireland raised the continued use of the death penalty and arbitrary detention at the most recent Universal Periodic Review of Iran at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Ireland has regularly co-sponsored an annual resolution on human rights in Iran at the General Assembly. Ireland has already supported the establishment by the Human Rights Council of two special procedures dealing specifically with Iran, namely the Special Rapporteur and the Independent Fact Finding Mission.

We will continue to raise the issue of the continued use of the death penalty directly with Iranian officials and also at the EU and international level. We also remain committed to supporting the UN Special Rapporteur to fulfil their mandate as outlined by Human Rights Council Resolution 55/19.