Portugal to Officially Recognize State of Palestine on Sunday
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Portugal announced it will formally recognize the State of Palestine on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
The ministry confirmed that the official declaration will precede next week’s High-Level Conference.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel had earlier indicated during a visit to the United Kingdom that Lisbon was considering recognition of Palestine, underscoring a shift in the country’s policy stance.
Unlike Spain, which formally recognized Palestinian statehood in May 2024 alongside Ireland and Norway and urged other European Union members to follow suit, Portugal had until now taken a more cautious line, saying it wanted a unified EU approach.
At present, only a limited number of the EU’s 27 member states recognize Palestine, along with Sweden and Cyprus.
The United Nations General Assembly voted in November 2012 to grant Palestine non-member state status, a move that amounted to de facto recognition of its sovereignty.
This latest decision comes as Israel regime faces intensifying international condemnation over its relentless war on Gaza, which has brought widespread death, hunger, and destruction upon the Palestinian population.
