In November 1979, the relations between the United States and Iran changed forever, when as part of the revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini that deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a group of students followers of the Ayatollah stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 66 people hostage, including officials and civilians.
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The conflict ended on January 20, 1981, when the last 52 hostages were released, but the United States never reopened its embassy in Iran.
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Since this incident, Switzerland has been acting as the official representative of the interests of the United States in Iran, in accordance with the protective power mandates accepted by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its status as a neutral country as the main reason for assuming this role.
What role does Switzerland play between the United States and Iran?
In the words of the Swiss Ministry, its task is to convey messages between both governments, particularly when an official communication from Washington to Tehran is needed. In these instances, the Swiss government requests the position of the United States and then communicates it to the Iranian authorities. Despite appearing as a silent task, its importance is central in times of tension or crisis.
This happened at the end of May, when Donald Trump was threatening to bomb Iran. At that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic summoned the Swiss representative to convey a warning to the United States government.
Beyond specific diplomatic communications, Switzerland’s work in Iran also has a consular component. It handles passport applications, assistance to American citizens, and other essential administrative procedures that could not be carried out otherwise due to the absence of a US embassy in the country.
The role that Switzerland currently plays in Iran is not an exception in its foreign policy. The Swiss Confederation has acted as a neutral channel between countries in conflict on multiple occasions. One of the most emblematic examples was its mediation between the United States and Cuba. After the breakdown of relations in 1961, Bern represented Washington in Havana, and also represented Cuba in the United States, for over five decades.
That role ended in 2015, when then-President Barack Obama formally reestablished diplomatic relations with the Cuban government.
Embassy on high alert
On June 20, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the temporary closure of its embassy in Tehran, following Israel’s bombings and two days before the United States attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran.
In any case, the government confirmed that “Switzerland continues to represent the interests of the United States in Iran under its mandate as protecting power”.
As of the publication of this article, the Swiss embassy in Tehran remained closed.