Politics outweigh law in WEF’s disinvitation of Iran from Davos
The World Economic Forum (WEF) canceled the invitation extended to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, citing what it described as the killing of protestors in Iran. Araghchi has denounced the move as being driven by political pressure from Israel and its agents and supporters in the United States, accusing the forum of putting on a facade of ethicality.
The WEF’s move comes as Iranian officials maintain that the presence of foreign-linked forces and terrorist groups was the catalyst for violence during civilian protests, forcing the government to step up and defend its people. Araghchi, referencing the killings of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by Israel, called out the forum for its double standard.
Iran Daily spoke with Abed Akbari, an international affairs analyst, to discuss the dimensions and ramifications of such actions. He believes the measure is more a product of politicization than being grounded in legal principles and represents another sign of the decline of institutions born from the liberal order.
IRAN DAILY: To what extent does the disinvitation of Iran’s foreign minister, on the pretext of what has been termed the killing of protestors in Iran, have a legal basis? Has the forum previously taken such action?
AKBARI: The World Economic Forum, bowing to political pressure from Israel and the United States, blocked the Iranian foreign minister’s participation in the Davos summit. It was an unconventional move, with the politicization of the action far outweighing any potential legal considerations. While Iran was accused of a mass killing for defending its people against armed terrorists and massacres in the style of ISIS, openly supported by Israel and America, we’ve witnessed numerous instances over the years where even perpetrators of widespread genocide, those accused of mass killings of defenseless people in international courts, have been invited to participate in WEF events.
Page 8