The World Economic Forum has uninvited Iran's foreign minister from its conference this week in Davos, Switzerland, citing the deadly crackdown on thousands of civilian protesters by the regime.
In a statement early Monday, the WEF said the decision was based on the slaughter of demonstrators amid unrest sparked by the country's economic and social conditions.
The forum noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had been invited well before the riots erupted.
"The tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year," the WEF said.
Iran's regime has acknowledged that thousands of people were killed or arrested as security forces moved to crush dissent.
Human rights organizations and dissident media outlets have accused Iranian authorities of torture, sexual abuse, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings aimed at silencing demonstrators.
The move to bar Araghchi came after growing international pressure and criticism. Hillel Neuer, executive director of the watchdog group UN Watch, had warned that Araghchi's presence in Switzerland would trigger his possible arrest for alleged crimes against humanity.
"In light of our plan to file a criminal complaint with Swiss authorities over the regime's massacre of protesters, Iran's foreign minister will not be attending the World Economic Forum," Neuer said in a post on X.
Before the reversal, the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran said it learned Araghchi was quietly added to the Davos program as a speaker, sparking outrage among activists.
"The message the WEF was sending is deeply disturbing," UANI said, accusing the forum of legitimizing a regime that has used brutal force against its own people. The group confirmed it lodged a formal complaint with WEF CEO Borge Brende.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also blasted the initial invitation, calling it morally indefensible.
Graham compared welcoming Iran's foreign minister amid ongoing repression to "inviting Hitler to a world event after Kristallnacht," accusing European elites of abandoning those fighting for freedom.
The WEF expects more than 3,000 participants from over 130 countries this year, including dozens of heads of state and government.
President Donald Trump is expected to attend, and major diplomatic meetings are anticipated, including talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy.
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