Poland and Hungary broke ranks with other EU countries in Tehran last week and sent their ambassadors to celebrate the 44 with a formal reception by President Ibrahim Raisi.th Anniversary of the Iranian Revolution.
The diplomatic encounter is controversial because Tehran has largely crushed anti-government street protests with deadly brutality ̵1; and has even turned to executing protesters. Iran’s international situation has also become increasingly toxic over the past year due to Tehran’s supply of martyr kamikaze drones to Russia, which are flown at civilian targets in Ukraine.
A series of photographs, some published online by an Iranian news Shop And others, verified by Politico, show two ambassadors — Maciej Falkowski of Poland and Zoltan Varga-Hazonitsa of Hungary — sitting behind Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdolahian at the ceremony as well as in the reception line on Thursday (prior to the event was conducted) saturday anniversary.) in one photographsFałkowski can be seen lightly shaking Raisi’s hand with a bow.
UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer said, “How can you — as a regime beat, blind, torture, rape, and kill innocent protesters for chanting ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ — Can bow before the butcher of Tehran?” an advocacy group asked Poland’s foreign ministry on Twitter.
Representatives for Poland and Hungary did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
While there is no formal agreement among EU members not to attend events where ambassadors were photographed, there is an informal understanding in the bloc’s capitals to act in concert with symbolic moves, such as high- profiles by boycotting public gatherings, in order to register their shared dismay at Tehran’s crackdown against the protesters.
That Hungary, which has earned a reputation as the EU’s black sheep under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and is eager to deepen ties with Iran, is unsurprising to ignore such a consensus. Actually, the government of Iran said so Hungarian Foreign Minister Petar Szijjarto also sent a message of congratulations. To mark the anniversary of the Revolution.
However, Poland is a different story. Warsaw has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters. Polish leaders argue that helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression is essential to both Poland’s and Europe’s own security. Iran’s military supplies to Ukraine would normally have made Poland one of the least likely countries to join in the celebration of the revolution.
To be sure, the unofficial boycott of Iran events by EU capitals has less to do with the country’s support for Russia than its treatment of the protesters and women. Iran’s government also said it had received messages of congratulations on the anniversary of the revolution. Bulgaria, romaniaAnd Croatia,
And like Hungary, Poland’s nationalist government is often at odds with its EU partners on matters large and small.
That said, Warsaw is generally at pains not to anger its most important ally – the United States.
Why would Poland allow its ambassador to be seen bowing to the Iranian President at a ceremony celebrating the so-called Islamic Revolution, which resulted in over 2000 being taken. 50 American diplomats taken hostageis a secret.