ISTANBUL

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described the Munich Security Conference as a “Munich circus,” criticizing the policies of the EU and several European countries toward Tehran.

“Sad to see the usually serious Munich Security Conference turned into the ‘Munich Circus’ when it comes to Iran,” Araghchi said through US social media company X on Saturday.

He said that “this decline, with performance preferred over substance, holds important messages,” arguing that the EU appears “confused, rooted in an inability to understand what is happening inside Iran."

“Strategically, an aimless EU has lost all geopolitical weight in our region,” Araghchi added.

He singled out Germany for particular criticism, saying Berlin is “leading the way in wholly surrendering its regional policy to Israel.”

Araghchi described Europe’s broader direction as “dire,” adding that “the paralysis and irrelevance of the EU/E3 (UK, France, and Germany) is displayed in the dynamics surrounding the current talks over Iran's nuclear program.”

“Once a key interlocutor, Europe is now nowhere to be seen,” he said.

Instead, Araghchi noted, Iran’s regional partners have become “far more effective and helpful than an empty-handed and peripheral E3.”

Iran was not invited to this year's gathering. Organizers said it is not the right moment to engage with Tehran following the recent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

However, the conference hosted Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and granted him a platform to deliver a speech in which he called on the US and Israel to intervene against Iran.

The German city of Munich is hosting the 62nd edition of the Munich Security Conference over three days, which began Friday, under tight organizational and security measures reflecting the sensitivity of the current international climate.

On Sept. 29, the EU reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran under the “snapback” mechanism linked to the 2015 nuclear deal.

The move restored a broad range of sanctions that had been lifted or suspended under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, including restrictions on banking, energy, shipping, insurance, and trade in sensitive goods.

Tehran rejected the legality of the move, arguing that parties that withdrew from or violated the nuclear deal have no standing to invoke snapback, and warned that the decision would further undermine diplomatic efforts.​​​​​​​

* Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.