Iran

Iran's Foreign Minister Cancels Attendance at Davos Summit

Officials at the forum changed plans involving Zarif, which led to the diplomat cancelling his trip, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Iran's top diplomat has cancelled his trip and will not be attending the Davos Forum, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Monday amid a crisis with Washington and disputes with Europe over Iran's nuclear steps.

The summit in the Swiss resort also comes after Iran earlier this month shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board. Tensions also remain high between Iran and the U.S. after an America drone killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.

Iran confirmed through a state-run news organization that its military unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian airplane which crashed shortly after takeoff from the Tehran airport, killing all 176 people aboard.

Iran's top diplomat, Mohammad Javad Zarif, had been invited and plans had been made for him to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

However, according to Mousavi, officials at the forum changed plans involving Zarif, which led to the diplomat cancelling his trip, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

The death of Gen. Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, is expected to dramatically increase tensions between the United States and Iran.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
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