Davos, Switzerland, 19 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will not attend the World Economic Forum in Davos due to the brutal crackdown on protesters in Iran, organizers said Monday.

"Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year," the WEF posted on X.

Araghchi had been due to take part in an event Tuesday.

Almost 4,000 people have been killed during the mass protests in Iran, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Sunday. The group has so far verified 3,919 deaths, including 3,685 protesters killed and 178 security personnel, with an additional 9,000 deaths still being examined.

The information cannot be independently verified.

The actual number of demonstrators killed could be significantly higher, according to reports.

The British newspaper The Sunday Times reported that between 16,500 and 18,000 people were killed. Staff at eight major eye clinics and 16 emergency departments in the country had compiled the figures, it said.

The brutal crackdown on protesters had led to criticism of Araghchi’s participation in Davos.

The WEF's annual conference under the motto "A Spirit of Dialogue" is being held this week in the Swiss Alpine resort. Around 3,000 participants are expected, including US President Donald Trump.