Higgins accuses Israeli embassy of leaking letter

President Michael D Higgins has alleged that a letter he wrote to the newly-elected president of Iran was leaked to the press by the Israeli embassy in Dublin.

Speaking at a news conference at the United Nations in New York, President Higgins said he had written to Masoud Pezeshkian as a new head of state.

Last month, the President came under criticism for writing the letter from a number Fine Gael TDs.

In a statement this evening, the Israeli embassy said the allegations were "highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous and the embassy rejects it completely".

The embassy criticised President Higgins for writing the letter to Iran, referencing the "threat" the country poses in the Middle East and its human rights record.

"It is the burden of the author to defend its content, which did not mention the threat Iran poses in the region, that it calls for Israel's destruction, that it arms and funds terrorist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah, not to mention the violations of human rights against its own citizens," the statement added.

The Israeli embassy had also criticised the letter to Mr Pezeshkian at the time, saying it sent "the wrong message to the people of Iran living in fear under this brutal regime".

Mr Pezeshkia became Iran's president in July after his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

"You should ask where the criticism came from, and how the letter was circulated, and by whom, and for what purpose," President Higgins told reporters.

President Higgins said he believed the letter had been circulated by the Israeli Embassy to a journalist.

He added that he did not know how Israeli authorities would have obtained the letter and noted that Israel's ambassador to Ireland was not "in residence" to consult.

Israel recalled its ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich in May in response to Ireland's recognition of a Palestinian state.

Mr Higgins said that the correspondence to Mr Pezeshkian was "standard" for when someone is a "newly elected head of state".

He added that the letter, which was leaked online in August, emphasised peace in the Middle East and the importance of diplomacy.

Mr Higgins is in New York where he addressed the UN Summit of the Future at the organisation's headquarters.

Additional reporting PA