UPDATE - Davos gathering drops invitation to top Iranian diplomat over crackdown on protests

ADDS REMARKS BY IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The World Economic Forum (WEF) said Monday that it had canceled an invitation to the annual event to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, citing the recent crackdown on protests across the country.

"The Iranian Foreign Minister will not be attending Davos," the WEF said on US social media company X.

The annual WEF meeting is taking place on Jan. 19–23 in the Swiss town of Davos under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue" to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges.

The Forum added: "Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year."

Anti-government protests over the deteriorating economic situation and a record depreciation of the national currency broke out in Tehran late last month and gradually spread to other cities across Iran.

On Jan. 8, the protests took a violent turn after the US-based son of the late shah of Iran urged people to take to the streets in protest against the government.

Amid fierce street clashes between protesters and security personnel, hundreds of casualties were reported, especially in the western provinces.

Police said the peaceful protests were “hijacked by rioters,” who, they claim, were supported by the US and Israeli intelligence agencies.

Araghchi, for his part, accused the WEF of cancelling his scheduled appearance due to what he described as false claims and political pressure from Israel and its US-based "proxies and apologists."

Addressing the unrest, Araghchi claimed that authorities in his country had acted to defend the public against what he called "armed terrorists and ISIS-style killings," alleging that such actions were openly backed by Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

He criticized the forum for not revoking invitations to Israeli leaders despite Tel Aviv’s "mass slaughter" in the Gaza Strip. Araghchi specifically cited Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s participation in Davos in January 2024, claiming he appeared despite facing legal complaints in Switzerland related to the war in Gaza.

"If WEF wants to feign a supposedly 'moral' stance, that is its prerogative. But it should at least be consistent about it. The current blatant double standard only conveys moral depravity and intellectual bankruptcy. People have the right to know the truth and judge for themselves. Shame is solely reserved for those who think otherwise," Araghchi added.

* Diyar Guldogan contributed to this report from Washington, DC