Iran will not take part in the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, organizers said on Monday. The 61st International Art Exhibition, which has 100 national participations and is set to open on May 9, has been dogged by controversy regarding the reopening, albeit not to the public, of the Russian Pavilion. The Biennale has come under fierce criticism for the move, with the European Commission saying it put two million euros EU funding for the event at risk, while Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli