An Irish embassy official in Iran has been summoned by the local foreign ministry to explain comments made by the EU at a recent human rights conference.
The deputy head of the Irish mission in Tehran, Mr Aidan Cronin, was called to the ministry's legal affairs department yesterday to hear protests about "irresponsible and interventionist" European Union criticism of Iran's human rights record.
The Department of Foreign Affairs refused to disclose details of the meeting but confirmed the comments made by the EU delegation at a United Nations Human Rights Commission on March 24th were raised.
A Department spokesperson said the meeting was part of regular contact the embassy was involved in as part of Ireland's EU presidency and the at the discussions was conducted in a "business-like and constructive atmosphere".
The Iranians were angered by the EU's criticism of the recent parliamentary elections in the country and its claim that human rights were not improving in the country.
Iran's state news agency IRNA reported the ministry complaining of the "unofficial and interfering remarks of the Irish envoy at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission".
The director-general for legal and international affairs, Mr Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh, said Iran will not accept statements that amount to foreign interference in its domestic affairs, IRNA reported.
Ireland's envoy, Ms Mary Whelan, is reported telling UN commission last week that the scheduled round of human rights dialogue between the EU and Iran was deferred because there is "little improvement in the human rights situation in the country.
"The recent interference in the electoral process represents a setback for democracy and a general trend toward even more restrictions on the exercise of political rights and freedoms," Ms Whelan reportedly said.