Iran Leaves Dubai COP28 Climate Summit in Protests against Presence of Israeli Officials
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The Islamic Republic of Iran's delegation, led by the Minister of Energy, left the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) on climate change in protest against the presence of officials from the Zionist regime of Israel.
Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian traveled to the United Arab Emirates as Iran's representative for the climate change conference.
Initially, there were reports suggesting Israeli officials would not attend due to recent Gaza atrocities. However, the Zionist regime representative's appearance coincided with scheduled speeches by global leaders and officials at the event.
Departing the conference, the Energy Minister highlighted Iran's intent to use the platform to negotiate with various authorities, shedding a light on prevailing [climate] conditions, and advocate for oppressed Palestinians.
The Minister underscored that Iran's delegation deemed the political and biased presence of the illegitimate Zionist regime at the climate change conference - an event crucial for assessing global society's performance and progress in addressing climate change - contradictory to the conference's goals and directions. In protest, Iran's delegation left the conference venue.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declined to attend the UN's COP28 in Dubai due to Israeli President Isaac Herzog's presence. Raisi had been invited to the summit during a meeting in June. Minister Mehrabian represented Iran instead, focusing on addressing air pollutants.
Raisi had been invited to the summit during UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdullahian on the sidelines of the Friends of BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in Cape Town in June.
Iranian officials expressed gratitude for the UAE president's invitation but voiced reservations about Israeli officials' attendance due to recent atrocities.
An Israeli delegation of 28 officials were going to attend this year’s annual United Nations climate summit COP28, which kicked off Thursday. It is reportedly down from the 1,000-strong group the foreign ministry had originally planned to send, including Herzog and hardline prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Simultaneously, amid the Zionist regime's presence at the climate summit, a fresh wave of Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza commenced, renewing Tel Aviv's atrocities against the enclave.
