Iran at the Venice Biennale: Withdrawal, Suspension, or Late Return? The Full Story
The communiqué of 4 May announced that Iran would not participate in Biennale Arte 2026. But the answers received from the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, through the Cultural Institute of Iran in Rome, suggest a more complicated sequence: war, an initial suspension, and the attempt to reopen the question of Iran’s presence later in the exhibition.
Link to the Italian version on Artribune
During the preview of Biennale Arte 2026, amid protests, geopolitical tensions and discussions over the presence of certain countries, a brief announcement published by La Biennale di Venezia went almost unnoticed. The statement was brief and unequivocal: the Islamic Republic of Iran would not participate in the 61st International Art Exhibition.
Iran at the Venice Biennale
For many observers, the matter seemed closed. The communication provided no particular explanation and, even today, Iran does not appear on the official list of National Participations published by La Biennale.
Following the Biennale day by day, however, that communication continued to feel incomplete.
In the following weeks, statements emerged that seemed to tell a different story. The Commissioner of the Iran Pavilion, Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, publicly maintained that Iran had not withdrawn from the Biennale, but had requested an extension in order to allow the pavilion to open at a later stage.
To better understand the situation, I tried to contact the Iranian Commissioner directly. When that proved unsuccessful, I turned to the Cultural Institute of Iran in Rome, which agreed to submit my questions to the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the institution responsible for Iran’s participation in the Biennale.
What happened in Iran?
The responses received describe relations with the Venice Biennale as “highly professional, constructive and empathetic,” while attributing the delay to a combination of factors: the consequences of the war, the atmosphere of national mourning, organizational difficulties, and bureaucratic issues linked to the international mobility of artists, the commissioner, the museum delegation and cultural operators. In particular, according to the Iranian delegation, these difficulties also concern the need for greater cooperation from the Italian Embassy in Tehran in issuing visas.
In a subsequent clarification, the Cultural Institute of Iran also explained that, in the early stages of the conflict and amid considerable uncertainty, the Iranian delegation had communicated that it was unable to meet the deadlines set by the Biennale calendar for the presentation of the project, the artworks and the exhibition venue. According to this account, participation was suspended during that initial phase, while the subsequent improvement of the situation led to the decision to work toward a shorter presence, but not a cancelled one.
The case remains unresolved, and publicly unclear. On the one hand, there is the communiqué of 4 May and Iran’s absence from the official lists of pavilions. On the other, the Iranian delegation continues to maintain that its objective is to open the Iran Pavilion during the second period of the exhibition.
In a Biennale that has spent months debating who should be present and who should be excluded, the Iranian case introduces a different question: when a country’s participation is suspended because of war, at what point does that suspension become a definitive withdrawal?
Below are the full responses received from the Iranian delegation.
The Iranian Delegation’s Responses: The Interview
The Iranian Delegation’s Opening Statement
The relationship between the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, as the representative of the visual arts of the Islamic Republic of Iran (I.R.I.), and La Biennale di Venezia has been, and continues to be, highly professional, constructive and empathetic. The Iranian side has always appreciated the specialized and respectful approach of that institution and of the Italian State. This is demonstrated by our diligent and serious participation in recent editions; however, One point on which the Iranian delegation particularly insists concerns the need for more substantial cooperation from the Embassy of Italy in Tehran in issuing visas for the artists, the Commissioner, the museum delegation and the professionals involved. According to the Iranian account, this aspect also affected the possibility of ensuring a more complete and effective presence of the Iran Pavilion.
Can you describe precisely what communication was sent by the Iranian delegation to La Biennale di Venezia? Was it a request for an extension, a proposal for a delayed opening of the pavilion, or something else?
In light of the obstacles and challenges that have arisen in recent months, the Iranian Commissioner’s request was for a postponed opening of the Iran Pavilion, scheduled for the second quarter of the Venetian event. Considering the aggression and the illegal and brutal attack suffered by Iran, as well as the focus of the Iranian people and authorities on national resistance, this was an entirely natural consequence.
After that communication, did La Biennale provide an official response? If so, what was the content of the response?
La Biennale’s response was extremely professional and the result of its specialized competence. In addition to reaffirming the right of all States to have an official pavilion, they showed understanding and cooperation regarding this delay; in fact, there is no fundamental problem with Iran’s participation.
At what point did you learn that La Biennale would publicly announce Iran’s non-participation? Were you informed in advance, or did you learn of it through the official communiqué?
I publicly deny the news of an announcement of non-participation or any discussion in this regard. Fundamentally, the central motto of the Biennale has been and remains the invitation to participation extended to all countries. The idea, widespread among some people, that Iran would not participate was understandable, obviously deriving from the failure to complete the procedures and from the Iranian side’s failure to communicate the opening date of the pavilion in May 2026. Even we ourselves, in Rome, given the interruption of communications caused by the war, had also been under this impression. In any event, the decision of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains firmly committed to being present at the Biennale with its selected artists and artworks.
What were the concrete difficulties that led to the request for an extension? To what extent were factors such as security, the transport of works, visas, insurance, the economic situation and the regional geopolitical context involved?
Three categories of problems and reasons caused the delay in our presence:
The national mourning: First, the psychological state and grief of the entire Iranian people and artists following the killing and martyrdom of many compatriots, commanders, children and the Supreme Leader of Iran. Such suffering created a climate of national mourning, and it was necessary to join this great artistic celebration only at a later moment.
The repercussions of the war: Second, the practical effects of the war imposed against Iran, which forced artistic and cultural leaders to focus on other emergencies. This prevented them, during the months of February and March, from organizing the preparations, renting the spaces, overseeing the installation and planning the delegation’s travel.
The bureaucratic issues: Third, the need for maximum coordination with the Embassy of Italy in Tehran to obtain a sufficient number of visas for all artists and personnel, a process that suffered inevitable postponements due to the closure of the aforementioned and respected Embassy.
If La Biennale were to accept today the original proposal of the Iranian delegation, would it still be possible to open the Iran Pavilion before the conclusion of the exhibition?
In principle, there is no obstacle to the presence and opening of the Iran Pavilion, and this will certainly take place. The secretariat of La Biennale has always reiterated its positions precisely and professionally, leaving no room for interpretations or speculation. The Islamic Republic of Iran, like all United Nations member States, is among the invitees and is a member of the Biennale, and very soon it will exhibit its works.
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