Iran–Switzerland relations
Iran |
Switzerland |
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Iran–Switzerland relations are foreign relations between the
Switzerland has had a consulate in Tehran since 1919 which was raised to the status of embassy in 1936 and also represents the interests of the United States in Tehran. Switzerland has also represented Iran in Canada, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.[1][2]
History
Notable Monarchy-era Iranians who lived and studied in Switzerland
Former Iranian Prime Minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh obtained his Doctorate of Laws (doctorat en droit) at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, 1911. As a child, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran attended Institut Le Rosey, a Swiss boarding school, completing his studies there in 1935.
1979 Revolution
Switzerland becomes the "protecting power" of the United States in Iran after the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
Since May 1980, the Swiss embassy in Tehran has been consistently relaying diplomatic communications between Iran and the United States.[3]
Iran–Iraq war
Beginning in 1984, victims of the Iran–Iraq War received medical treatment in neutral Switzerland, while Swiss companies were doing multibillion-dollar business with Iraq at the same time. Cooperation on the national level to prevent natural catastrophes was initiated in 2006.
Murder of Kazem Rajavi
Crypto AG and espionage case
In 1992,
Friedrich Tinner, the Iranian nuclear program and the CIA
Swiss diplomat arrested on sexual charges
In February 2009, the
Human rights dialogue and the 2009 Swiss vote on minarets
The two countries have been engaged in a human rights dialogue since 2003 and in discussions on migration since 2005. Following a
Security incidences at the Iranian embassy in Bern
In November 2011, Swiss police investigated two minor attacks on the Iranian Embassy in Bern.[19][20]
On 1 October 2022, Swiss police had to use rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of a thousand protesters in front of the Iranian embassy in Bern. The demonstrators protested against the death of a young woman in Iranian police custody the month before.[21]
Tax evasion
In 2014, international medias reported Iranian nationals to be listed among the tax evaders in Switzerland.
Death of Swiss diplomat
In 2021, Iranian authorities found the dead body of a Swiss diplomat at the base of a tower in Tehran. The cause of the fall was “unknown”.[22]
Diplomatic representation on behalf of the United States
The Swiss diplomatic corps in Tehran has represented U.S. interests soon after the Islamic revolution in 1979. A number of crucial agreements such as the
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Swiss charge d'affaires in September 2023. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi and GCC member states' foreign ministers in New York and issued a joint statement that included a warning to Iran “to cease its proliferation of dangerous weapons that pose a grave security threat to the region". Despite an improved diplomatic climate between the U.S. and Iran and renewed diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Tehran claims the plunder by the U.S “of the region's wealth and resources through pursuing its Iranophobia policy." The Swiss diplomat assured to convey Iran's protest to Washington as soon as possible.[23]
Bilateral relations
Marking 100 years of high-level diplomatic ties, Swiss president
Trade
Oil trade
Arms trade with Israel and Swiss banks
Trade agreements
There are agreements between the two countries on air traffic (1954, 1972 and 2004), road and rail transport (1977), export risk guarantees (1966), protection of investments (1998) and
2007 gas contract
In the year 2007, Iran and Switzerland signed a major 25-year gas contract to export over 5 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the
International sanctions
Switzerland and Iran have greatly reduced their bilateral economic cooperation since the
After the
In November 2022, Switzerland adopted additional EU sanctions against
Humanitarian channel
In late January 2020, the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA) with Iran was implemented, assuring export guarantees through Swiss financial institutions for shipments of food and medical products to the Islamic republic.
On 15 June 2021, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and US president Joe Biden said during a press interview in Geneva, Switzerland, they would both support more payments through the rarely used Swiss-Iranian humanitarian channel.[50][51]
See also
- Foreign relations of Iran
- Foreign relations of Switzerland
- Johann Rudolf Stadler
- Naftiran Intertrade
- Pizza Connection Trial
- EU-Iran Forum
- Swiss Iranian Investment Forum
References
- Swissinfo.
- ^ Hinshaw, Drew; Parkinson, Joe; Faucon, Benoit (January 12, 2020). "Swiss Back Channel Helped Defuse U.S.-Iran Crisis". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020.
- ^ "Countries. Iran". state.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ "Swiss orders arrest of Iranian ex-minister". Swissinfo.org. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "People's Daily Online – Switzerland orders arrest of Iranian ex-minister on murder charges". English.peopledaily.com. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ "Xinhua – English". News3.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ Schneier, Bruce (June 15, 2004). "Breaking Iranian codes". Crypto-Gram newsletter.
- ^ Mehdi Atmani: La lune de miel secrète entre la Suisse et le renseignement international. Le Temps, August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ Shane, Scott; Tom Bowman (December 4, 1995). "No Such Agency, part four: Rigging the game". The Baltimore Sun. pp. 9–11. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008. Archived online March 8, 1997.
- ^ The NSA-Crypto AG Sting – OhmyNews International Archived December 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. English.ohmynews.com (December 29, 2007). Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ "Investigation opened into Swiss encryption firm linked to CIA". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ "Swiss intelligence benefited from CIA-Crypto spying affair". www.swissinfo.ch. November 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020.
- ^ (in French) émissions – temps présent – Les espions qui venaient d'Helvétie. tsr.ch (January 22, 2009). Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ Ian Traynor (May 31, 2008). "Nuclear bomb blueprints for sale on world black market, experts fear". The Guardian. UK.
- William J. Broad and David E. Sanger (August 24, 2008). "In Nuclear Net's Undoing, a Web of Shadowy Deals". New York Times.
- ^ "US delivers legal aid in nuclear probe". Swissinfo.ch. November 28, 2006. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
- ^ "Swiss call diplomat home—but is there a scandal?". Iran Times International. Washington, DC. February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Schweizer Diplomat nicht mehr im Iran tätig". 20 Minuten. February 9, 2009. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Swiss police: Iran embassy attacked – Nov. 30, 2011". Kyivpost.ocm. November 30, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "Iranian embassy in Bern is not safe: ambassador". Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ "Hundreds of Swiss demonstrate against Iranian repression" swissinfo. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ "Swiss diplomat in Iran found dead after 'fall from tower block'". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ “Iran summons Swiss charge d'affaires over U.S. anti-Tehran claims” xinhuanet. Accessed 30 Sep 2023
- ^ "Marc Rich, the Man Who Sold Iranian Oil to Israel". Haaretz.
- ^ "Israeli Arms Sales to Iran".
- ^ "From Many Strands, a Tangled Web - TIME". www.time.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ For more on Israeli Hawk missile sales to Iran see Richard Johns, "Arms Embargo Which Cannot Withstand The Profit Motive," Financial Times (London), 13 November 1987)
- ^ a b John Heilprin; swissinfo.ch. "Swiss brands advised to risk Iranian market". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ a b "Admin.ch - Iran: Le Conseil fédéral veut la sécurité juridique et entend prévenir les contournements". Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ Iran Imports By Country. WITS (World Integrated Trade Solutions). wits.worldbank.org. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "U.S. says first shipments of medicine to Iran delivered via Swiss humanitarian channel". Reuters World News. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ Lee M. (Oct. 2020), "US hits all of Iran’s financial sector with sanctions". AP News. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Iran's Trade Ties With Switzerland Flourishing Under Sanctions". Financial Tribune. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ Iran's Economy. Fpc.state.gov, (PDF) Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ US feels the heat after Iran-Switzerland $42b gas deal. tehran times (May 3, 2008). Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ Washington seeks copy of Iran gas contract with Switzerland. Swissinfo.ch. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ "We're sorry, that page can't be found" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ [2] [dead link]
- ^ a b Switzerland – Iran Foreign Relations Archived October 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. IranTracker (July 18, 2010). Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ Kittrie, Orde F. (November 13, 2008) How to Put the Squeeze on Iran – WSJ.com. Online.wsj.com. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ Iran's May gasoline imports up 37 pct on yr | Business | guardian.co.uk. Guardian. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ "Iran Focus – Iran Focus". Iranfocus.com. September 19, 2006. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ SRF Tagesschau vom 24. Jan. 2014. WEF 2014 Wirtschaft. Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen.
- ^ a b "Partners In Time". The Business Year. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ "La Suisse lève ses sanctions contre l'Iran suite à l'accord sur le nucléaire". rts.ch. January 17, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ "Iran Under Sanctions: A Scramble For Cancer Care And Blame To Go Around" NPR News. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ "Exclusive: Swiss humanitarian channel to Iran seen within months - Swiss, U.S. officials" Reuters World News. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ "Swiss adopt latest EU drone sanctions over Ukraine war" swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ "Swiss hail constructive U.S. approach to Iran after Biden talks" Reuters. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Iran says US approved its funds transfer to buy COVID vaccines" AlJazeera. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
External links
Media related to Relations of Iran and Switzerland at Wikimedia Commons
- Bilateral relations Switzerland-Iran Swiss federal administration
- Iran–Switzerland relations – American Enterprise Institute
- Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce