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The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday withdrew an invitation for Iran’s foreign minister to attend the Davos summit in Switzerland after an advocacy group urged it to bar Iranian regime officials amid nationwide anti-government protests that have left thousands dead.
In a post on X, the WEF confirmed that Abbas Araghchi would not be permitted to attend the five-day event.
“Although he was invited last fall, 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 organization said.
The announcement comes after the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) sent a letter to WEF President Børge Brende on Friday, urging him to rescind the invitation and bar Iranian regime officials from attending amid a brutal crackdown on civilians.
World Economic Forum sign is seen on the Congress Centre hosting the annual WEF meeting on its opening day in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 19, 2026. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
UANI CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace welcomed the decision, telling Fox News Digital in a statement after Araghchi’s invitation was withdrawn: “UANI commends the World Economic Forum for revoking the invitation of Iran’s Foreign Minister from this year’s gathering in Davos. Iranian regime representatives should not be platformed at international events given their crimes against the Iranian people and their long history of supporting terrorism.”
Iran is currently facing nationwide anti-government protests that have drawn a violent response from security forces and placed growing pressure on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Sunday that nationwide protests continued into the 22nd day as President Donald Trump weighs possible U.S. military action.
FETTERMAN ‘OPEN’ TO MORE US STRIKES ON IRAN AS REGIME ‘SLAUGHTERING THOUSANDS’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a joint press conference after signing an Egypt-backed agreement to resume nuclear inspections in Cairo on Sept. 9, 2025. (Sayed Hassan/Getty)
The group’s aggregated figures showed 624 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 24,669 people and the confirmed deaths of 3,919 individuals.
HRANA said 3,685 of those killed were protesters, including 25 children under the age of 18.
Nearly 9,000 deaths remain under investigation.
White House press secretary Karoline Levitt said at a press briefing last week that the Trump administration was closely watching the situation in Iran.
IRAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 16,500 IN SWEEPING ‘GENOCIDE’ CRACKDOWN: REPORT
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“All options remain on the table for the president,” she told reporters.
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