Ceremony for new Iranian ambassador to Ireland postponed amid regime’s crackdown

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

A ceremony to present the new Iranian ambassador to Ireland with credentials has been postponed as its regime cracks down on protesters.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said the decision to delay the ceremony at the Irish president’s official residence was taken after a “significant” number of Iranian protesters were killed and injured in recent days.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands detained in the uprising against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rule.

Protests in Iran began in late December over the ailing economy and have continued despite the internet and telephone lines being cut off.

On Tuesday, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said the ceremony for the Iranian ambassador at Áras an Uachtaráin would be postponed.

“The decision to postpone the ceremony of credentials for the Ambassador-designate of the Islamic Republic of Iran was taken in light of protests in Iran in recent days which have seen very significant numbers of Iranians killed or injured and a communications blackout,” a spokesperson for the Department said.

On Monday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin called for an end to the violence in Iran and said Iranians had the right to protest and to free speech.

“The repression must end. I urge the authorities in Tehran to uphold the rights of all their citizens,” he said.

“The violence must stop, the curtailing of basic freedoms must end, and dialogue begin at once.”