Iran's Araghchi criticises WEF for double standards after invitation revoking

KUALA LUMPUR: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his invitation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, was revoked due to political pressure from Israel and its allies over recent unrest in Iran.

AI Brief

Araghchi criticises the WEF for rescinding his invitation while continuing to host Israeli officials despite the Gaza conflict.
He accuses the forum of moral inconsistency, citing Israels actions in Gaza and ongoing legal complaints against its leadership.
Iranian media reports he was removed from a scheduled panel, prompting his public remarks on fairness and integrity.

He also criticised what he described as a 'double standard" by the WEF, noting that Israeli officials continued to be invited to the annual forum despite the regime's continued brutal aggression against the Palestinian people, according to Iran's Mehr News Agency.

In a post on the social media platform X, he said Israeli President Isaac Herzog had attended the Davos meeting in January 2024, despite facing legal action in Switzerland over allegations linked to the situation in Gaza.

"The sad irony: Israel's genocide of Palestinians and mass slaughter of 71,000 innocent people have not compelled WEF to cancel any invitation extended to Israeli officials whatsoever", he said.

He said WEF should be fair and consistent in its moral stance, adding that the apparent inconsistency reflected a lack of moral and intellectual integrity.

Araghchi was scheduled to take part in a session at the WEF on Jan 20, but the invitation was rescinded, international media reported.

-- BERNAMA