Michael D Higgins accuses Israeli embassy of leaking ‘standard’ letter of ‘best wishes’ to new Iran president of Iran When asked about the letter by the Irish Independent, Mr Higgins said: “Why don’t you ask where it came from? … Where the criticism came from and how the letter was circulated and by whom and for what purpose?” Higgins and the Row with Israel Continues??

MICHAEL D Higgins has accused the Israeli embassy of leaking a letter in which he sent his “best wishes” to the new president of Iran.

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

Masoud Pezeshkian became president of Iran in MaySpeaking to journalists after his address, Mr Higgins was asked about criticism he received for sending a courtesy letter to Masoud Pezeshkian, who became Iran’s president after his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

The Israeli embassy in Dublin 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 Higgins said on Sunday 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.