Iran Foreign Minister Brands Munich Security Conference a ‘Circus’ After Exclusion
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply condemned the Munich Security Conference (MSC), labeling the prominent global forum a “Munich Circus” following the decision to exclude Iranian government representatives for the third consecutive year. In a statement released on social media Saturday, Araghchi expressed disdain for the conference’s handling of Iranian affairs, asserting that the event has prioritized “performance over substance.”
“Sad to see the usually serious Munich Security Conference turned into the ‘Munich Circus’ when it comes to Iran,” Araghchi wrote. He argued that the exclusion of official Iranian envoys signals a broader strategic decline for Europe, claiming the continent has lost its “geopolitical weight” in West Asia. Araghchi specifically targeted Germany, accusing the host nation of “wholly surrendering its regional policy to Israel” and describing the European Union (EU) as “confused” and “aimless” regarding internal developments in Iran. According to Araghchi, this shift has rendered the EU and the E3 (Germany, France, and the United Kingdom) “paralyzed and irrelevant” in ongoing diplomatic efforts, specifically regarding nuclear negotiations.
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Organizers of the Munich Security Conference have defended the exclusion of Iranian officials, citing the regime’s violent crackdown on recent domestic protests as a primary factor. MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger stated that “constructive negotiations with the Iranian side cannot be conducted in Munich at this time,” referencing the heavy-handed state response to unrest in January. Instead of government officials, the conference provided a platform for prominent opposition figures. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the influential former Shah of Iran, attended the event and spoke on the sidelines, calling for international support for a democratic transition in Iran. Concurrently, police in Munich estimated that approximately 250,000 demonstrators gathered in the city to rally against the Islamic Republic, creating a highly visible counter-narrative to Tehran’s claims of legitimacy.
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The Munich Security Conference is traditionally viewed as the world’s leading forum for debating international security policy, attended by heads of state, ministers, and decision-makers. Relations between Iran and European powers have deteriorated significantly since the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), which the E3 helped broker. While Europe was once a central mediator in these talks, Tehran has increasingly pivoted toward other regional partners and powers like Russia and China, dismissing the E3’s current influence as “peripheral.” The exclusion of Iranian diplomats from the MSC mirrors a similar freeze in diplomatic relations, as Western nations face pressure from diaspora activists to isolate Tehran over human rights abuses and its military support for Russia.
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