Irish president accuses Israeli embassy of leaking letter to Iran's Pezeshkian

Irish President Michael Higgins looks on during his state visit to Austria prior to his business meeting with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, Austria, April 6, 2022.
Irish President Michael Higgins looks on during his state visit to Austria prior to his business meeting with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, Austria, April 6, 2022.

Ireland's president has accused the Israeli embassy of leaking a letter in which he offered "best wishes" to Iran's new president after Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash.

In response to Michael D. Higgins' allegations, the Israeli embassy in Dublin denied the claim, calling the Irish president's comments “highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous.”

Higgins made the comments in New York, where he is attending a UN summit, while responding to questions from journalists about the criticism he faced for sending the letter to Pezeshkian.

When pressed by the Irish Independent about the source of the criticism, Higgins suggested the letter had been leaked by the Israeli embassy, asking: "Why don’t you ask where it came from? … Where the criticism came from and how the letter was circulated and by whom and for what purpose?"

He later added, "It was circulated from the Israeli embassy." Higgins also noted that he was unsure how Israeli authorities had obtained the letter and pointed out that Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, had been recalled and was unavailable for consultation.

Erlich, who was recalled in May following Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state, has not returned to her post. Earlier this month, the embassy expressed hope that Erlich would resume her duties in Dublin "under more friendly conditions."

In its statement the Israeli embassy said, “Since the October 7 invasion by Hamas and the massacre in Israel, we have faced a surge in malicious statements and accusations, often amounting to incitement to hatred."

The Israeli embassy had also previously condemned the Higgins' letter, stating that sending the congratulatory letter to Masoud Pezeshkian could have “served as an opportunity” to challenge what it described as a “theocratic dictatorship that oppresses its own people, especially women," and to raise concerns about their policies and actions.

Responding to the criticism, Higgins described the letter as a "standard" diplomatic protocol for welcoming a newly elected head of state.

He emphasized that the letter also highlighted the importance of peace and diplomacy in the Middle East. The correspondence had been leaked online in August, drawing attention.

The embassy also labeled Higgins' claim as "baseless" and "potentially slanderous," arguing that the letter did not address key concerns, such as Iran's regional threats, its calls for Israel's destruction, its support for terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, or its human rights violations against its own citizens.

Iran has maintained a long-standing enmity with Israel, characterized by decades of political hostility, military tension, and proxy conflicts. The Islamic Republic does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, with Iranian leadership, particularly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, frequently calling for Israel's destruction. Iran has been a major supporter of anti-Israeli groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, providing them with funding, weapons, and military training.

Iran's new President has not deviated from the country’s established anti-Israel stance. A longtime figure within the Iranian political establishment, Pezeshkian is seen as aligned with the broader policies of the Islamic Republic.