Coveney challenged over Iran embassy

• Published date: 01 December 2022
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has been challenged by members of his parliamentary party over plans to reopen an embassy in Tehran

Mr Coveney told Fine Gael TDs and Senators that the plan to reopen the embassy remained under review and argued that the Government has made its position on Iran "crystal clear", but said that Ireland values diplomatic channels even when the state uses them to make "harsh criticisms" of other countries.

However, several deputies spoke out against the plan, including Carlow-Kilkenny's John Paul Phelan and Charlie Flanagan from Laois-Offaly, who is a former minister for foreign affairs. Both were signatories to a letter sent on Tuesday asking that the embassy plan be stalled or cancelled.

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