Irish President Michael D. Higgins has accused Israel of distributing his congratulatory letter to Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, following his election in July.
The letter, in which Higgins conveyed “best wishes” for Pezeshkian’s presidency and offered condolences for the death of his predecessor, the hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, was shared on social media and drew backlash from politicians who accused Higgins of pandering to a repressive regime.
Speaking at a press conference in New York on Sunday, Higgins suggested that Israel played a role in publicizing the letter, stating, "You should ask where the criticism came from, how the letter was circulated, by whom, and for what purpose."
The Islamic Republic’s embassy in Dublin initially posted the letter on their website on July 26, and it was reportedly included in a now-deleted tweet. However, Israel’s embassy in Ireland didn’t comment on the letter until August 1, when it criticized Higgins for portraying Iran “as a so-called force for stability & collaboration without holding them accountable for their malign actions.”
* The Jewish Chronicle contributed to this article.