NEWSLETTER OF THE EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN IRAN © FDFA Dear members of the Swiss community in Iran, Dear friends of Switzerland, It is a pleasure for me to address you via this newsletter, the first such bulletin of the Swiss Embassy. Its purpose is to inform the Swiss community in Iran as well as friends of Switzerland about recent developments in the relations between Switzerland and Iran, and to provide you with a picture of some of the Embassy’s activities. Since we are celebrating 100 years of diplomatic presence in Iran, it is also a welcome opportunity to provide an overview over some of the features and persons who have characterized the relations between the two countries. As we start the second centenary, we are celebrating with a wide range of activities: music, films, literature, exhibitions, arts… Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and on Twitter if you wish to stay up-to-date! I would be delighted to see you on one of these occasions. Markus Leitner Ambassador 100 YEARS IS JUST A START… The early Swiss presence in Persia was Swiss trade consisted mainly in economic. In particular, watchmakers exporting textiles, watches, but also and textile merchants discovered musical boxes and enamel to Persia. A Safavid Iran during the 17th and 18th treaty of Friendship and Trade – centuries. The trade relations expanded certainly one of the most beautiful in the Qajar era, mainly via Beirut, documents conserved in the Swiss Smyrna and Constantinople – so much Federal Archives - was signed during so that the Swiss Trade and Customs Nasereddin Shah’s five-day visit in Minister proposed to the Swiss Geneva in July 1873. It is said that the government to conclude a trade and crowd welcoming the Shah was so friendship treaty “in order to make sure dense that it took his carriage more than that Swiss traders enjoy the same an hour to pass 700 meters. benefits as other most favored nations” (1857). Page from the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between Switzerland and Persia (1873, © Swiss Federal Archives) While trade intensified further, relations In March 1919, the first Persian between Switzerland and Iran soon Minister (Ambassador) submits its gained in latitude and depth. In the letters of credence to the Swiss Federal beginning of the 20th century, growing Council in Berne. Some months later, on numbers of Iranians started to pursue 4th November 1919, the Federal Council their academic studies in Switzerland. decided to establish an Honorary One of the most renowned Iranian Consulate in Persia, since the small students in Switzerland was number of Swiss residing in Persia could Mohammad Mosaddegh, who studied not justify the opening of a professional law at University of Neuchâtel, where, as representation. The first Honorary he felt, he “could study without fearing Consul of Switzerland, Heinrich distraction by other activities or Hildebrand, inaugurated the Honorary amusements”. Consulate on the Swiss National Day – the 1st August 1920. Zoka ad-Dowleh (center), the first diplomatic representative of Iran in Switzerland, leaving the Federal Palace after the official New Year reception by the President of the Swiss Confederation. La Patrie Suisse, 7.1.1920 Honorary Consul Heinrich Hildebrand (left). The picture was taken on the Swiss National Day, 1st August 1920. La Patrie Suisse, 19.1.1921 The attraction Iran presented for many Maillard have inspired generations with Swiss is particularly evident in their travels to Iran in the 1930s – both photographs of the 1920 and 1930s. The have left impressive texts and spectacular aerial pictures that the photographs. The same is true for aviation pioneer and photographer Nicolas Bouvier, whose opus “L’usage Walter Mittelholzer shot in 1924/1925 du monde” gives an impressive account are of great historical value and were of his travels through Iran in the mid- printed in highly popular books. 1950s. Annemarie Schwarzenbach and Ella Women and Child in Shiraz, picture by Annemarie Schwarzenbach (unknown date). © Swiss Literary Archives In the 1930s, the Swiss private sector, and presented his research on Najm in particular the Swiss machine ad-Din Kubra the year after, just to industry, watchmakers and chemical embark on a major work on the Persian industry, pressured the Swiss poetess Mahsati in 1941. Meier was the government to upgrade the Honorary first academic to describe the daily Consulate into a full-fledged Embassy. activities and spiritual experiences of a The Swiss companies noted that mystic. At the age of 34, Meier was competitors had better access to the appointed maître de conférences for Iranian market because their respective Persian philology at the Farouq Embassies could support them. In University of Alexandria, where he 1936, the Swiss government sent Armin taught Persian in Arabic. His Daeniker as its first professional handwritten course is still conserved at diplomat to Tehran. the University of Basel, where he continued to teach for 33 more years. Another impressive aspect of our His editions of medieval Persian and common history is the academic and Arabic texts, his studies of the mystics scientific interest for Iran. Fritz Meier, Abu Said-i Abu l-Khayr and about the Swiss Islamic scholar, gained his Mawlana Rumi’s father Baha-i Walad, doctorate at the age of 25, with a thesis about sufism, Persian poetry, popular on Shaykh Abu Ishaq al-Kazaruni, in culture, literature and linguistics were 1937. He traveled to Iran the same year groundbreaking in their fields. In 1974, he was awarded an honorary doctorate Swiss architect, helped to plan and by the University of Tehran. supervise the construction of the Other Swiss researchers such as University of Tehran’s Faculty of Fine Hermann Landolt, Rudolf Gelpke, Arts in the 1940s, and the Swiss linguist and a German professor at the Georges Redard was a pioneer in University of Bern, J.Chr. Bürgel, studying the linguistic diversity of Iran contributed to the knowledge and and Afghanistan. outreach of Persian literature and In the 1950s, Swiss geologists invited Persian mysticism. Micheline by Arnold Heim were entrusted by the Centlivres-Demont contributed to the Iran Oil Company to carry out research development of the – now famous – and expeditions – and ended up Meybod pottery through her doctoral discovering an important oil field in thesis of 1971. Alexandre Moser, a 1956 close to Qom. Article on Swiss linguist Georges Redard, studying Persian dialects in Iran. Feuilles d’Avis de Neuchâtel, 27.6.1952 During the Second World War, Iran asked Switzerland to represent its In more recent times, the relations of our interests in Germany and Italy (1941), two countries have continued to deepen. mandates that were later extended to The Swiss President Johann the countries occupied by Germany, and Schneider-Ammann visited Tehran in that ended with the end of the war. This 2016, while the Iranian President early mandate underlines that by the Hassan Rouhani visited Bern in 2018. 1940s, Switzerland and Iran had Both countries have agreed on a road developed a trustful relationship, which map addressing issues of mutual continues to prevail to this day. Iran has interest. Over the past 100 years, solid entrusted Switzerland with representing foundations have been built. The Swiss its interests in Egypt (1979), in Saudi Embassy in Tehran continues to foster Arabia (2017) and in Canada (2019), the relations between the two countries. whereas Switzerland represents the USA and Saudi Arabia in Iran. … AND IT’S STILL GROWING: SOME MILESTONES IN 2019 In February, the first Swiss-Iranian In June, an official science delegation workshop on intellectual property took from the Iranian Ministry of Science, place, followed by a seminar in April, and Research and Technology, from the by the signing in October of a Ministry of Health and chancellors of Memorandum of Understanding on a different Iranian Universities visited common project starting in 2020. Switzerland. A delegation of Iranian researchers accompanied them. They In March, Bernard Lehmann, Director of participated in a joint research the Federal Office of Agriculture, workshop, organized by the Zürcher signed a Letter of Intent to deepen Fachhochschule für angewandte collaboration in the field of agriculture. Wissenschaften. The aim of the visit was The severe floods that affected Iran in to deepen the bilateral scientific relations March and April triggered quick Swiss between Iran and Switzerland. support. Water and sanitation material The water theme continued in July with as well as Swiss experts were a “water week” around start-ups and dispatched to assist Iran in coping with innovation in the water sector, where the the catastrophe. Swiss organization CEWAS partnered In May, UNICEF Iran in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy’s Satkab, and with Iran-Switzerland Chamber of explored ways for further cooperation, Commerce and Tehran Chamber of bringing water, innovation, and youth Commerce, Industry, Mines, and together. Agriculture with the support of the August started – as it should be – with Embassy of Switzerland in Iran the celebration of the Swiss National conducted a one-day technical session Day and the launch of the 100 years for businesses in the food industry on jubilee of diplomatic presence in Iran. improving child nutrition in Iran. The objective of the session was raising In November, the Joint Economic awareness and inspiring positive action Commission between Switzerland and among Iranian food companies. Iran that took place in Berne. Both delegations exchanged about economic Equally in May, the first Swiss-Iranian relations of the two countries. workshop on water diplomacy brought experts from the Ministries of Foreign In December, we inaugurated an Affairs and of Energy, as well as from the exhibition at the Institute for Political Geneva Water Hub together. Swiss and and International Studies (IPIS) Iranian participants shared experience showing diplomatic reference documents and photographs, with a in dealing with transboundary water management.