The Diplomat
The Iranian Embassy assures that the protocol greeting of the Iranian Ambassador Hassan Ghashghavi “to Her Majesty the Queen of Spain” during the reception of the Diplomatic Corps “has been the subject of erroneous and mistaken judgements in some media, especially on social networks“. In a statement sent to the Spanish press, the Iranian diplomatic mission stresses that this greeting, “placing the hands on the chest” is based “on ancient and well-known ceremonial principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran in all receptions, all over the world, on all occasions and in all places”.
The media controversy has surprised many in the diplomatic sphere, as it has been known and accepted since the triumph of the Islamic revolution in 1979 that Iranian protocol prohibits men and women from shaking hands in public. This greeting is replaced with a gesture of respect by raising the right hand to the chest.
The communiqué mentions the opinion of Marina Fernández, Director of Communication and International Relations at the International School of Protocol Group, for whom “this situation has an absolutely religious explanation and never means disrespecting the position or figure of a woman, even more so when it involves an authority at the level of head of state”.
Furthermore, the Embassy points out that “Iranian female ambassadors also present their Letters of Credence to the leaders of other countries on the same basis; greeting them in the Iranian protocol” and adds that “this has never been considered as a disrespect by Iranian female diplomats towards the heads of government or state of the countries where they are assigned”.
The communiqué states that, on confirming the ambassador’s attendance, the Royal Household Protocol was informed by email that “the ambassador will attend alone and, as on other occasions, we remind you that for protocol reasons he cannot shake hands with Her Majesty the Queen”.
The note from the Iranian Embassy concludes by recalling that “relations between the two nations of Iran and Spain…. are historic and millennia old… and date back more than four hundred years”. “During this long period,” he adds, “the countries have not had the slightest problem in these friendly and respectful relations, based on the principles of tolerance, dialogue and respect for each other’s culture and customs. Relations will continue to be cordial in the future, thanks to Almighty God and the wisdom of the authorities of both countries”.
