Iran will not participate in the 61st Venice Biennale, which opens for previews this week, the Biennale Foundation announced on May 4. The decision comes two months after the United States and Israel launched strikes across Iran, and amid renewed tensions along the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian pavilion was to be commissioned by Aydin Mehdizadeh Tehrani, director general of the visual arts office in the Iranian Ministry of Culture. Iran has had inconsistent attendance at the Biennale since 1958, with a long absence between the 1960s and 2003, but has participated semi-consistently over the last two decades, most recently in 2024.
The withdrawal underscores the growing politicization of the Venice Biennale, which has faced widespread criticism for including both Russia and Israel in the 2026 edition. Hundreds of artists, curators, and staff signed letters calling for Israel's exclusion over its actions in Gaza, and the Biennale awards jury recently resigned en masse after being overruled on omitting Israel and Russia from Golden Lion consideration. Iran's exit adds to the diplomatic tensions surrounding the world's most prestigious art exhibition, highlighting how geopolitical conflicts increasingly shape cultural participation.