The Iranian ambassador to Ireland is being called into the Department of Foreign Affairs due to concern over the protests in Iran and the suspected supply of weapons to Russia.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney told a private meeting of Fine Gael TDs and Senators that Iranian ambassador Dr Masoud Eslami would be called into Iveagh House in the wake of recent events in Iran and Ukraine.
Mr Coveney outlined how he had spoken recently to the Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian about drones believed to have been sourced by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The meeting was told there was strong evidence the drones used this week against Kyiv’s citizens were from Iran.
Mr Coveney also said what was happening to Iranian women was “unacceptable”.
There have been weeks of protest in Iran since a 22-year-old Kurdish woman died in the custody of the morality police.
Hijab protests
Mahsa Amini was arrested last month for allegedly failing to fully observe rules on wearing a hijab.
Since her death on September 16th, at least 41 people involved in the protests are reported to have died.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik raised the issue in the Dáil with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, calling for the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador and the cutting of diplomatic ties between Ireland and Iran.
She said there was a “terrible situation for women and girls in Iran” with the regime “using particularly brutal violence against its own citizens”.
She said: “We’ve seen the start of a new episode in a long and dark chapter of Iran’s history.”
Ms Bacik said hundreds of Iranian girls and women had been “beaten, arrested, tortured and killed in the protests”.
Diplomatic ties
She told Mr Martin: “I’m asking you to cut diplomatic ties with Iran, to expel the Iranian ambassador and to take significant action internationally against the Iranian regime.”
Mr Martin agreed with Ms Bacik in raising the “very, very serious issue” but said he did not believe cutting diplomatic ties was the best way of dealing with it.
He said: “I think it’s important that this House reflects the not just deep concern but indeed outrage at what is happening to young women in Iran and particularly the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini which was quite shocking and can’t be justified in any shape or form.”
Mr Martin said there had been “a very natural and strong response from the Iranian people and from Iranian women”.
He outlined how Mr Coveney had raised concerns directly with the Iranian foreign minister, sought an independent investigation and called on Iran to adhere to international obligations, “particularly the international covenant on civil and political rights”.
