Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic relations for decades, but before Iran’s attack on Israel they had direct communications through “the Swiss channel”.
Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran, and its role as go-between takes on heightened importance at times of soaring tensions.
Also read: How U.S. helped counter Iran's attack on Israel | Explained
The Swiss Foreign Ministry refused on Monday to divulge what actions the country had taken in connection with Iran’s weekend attack on Israel.
But U.S. and Iranian officials alluded to the important role Switzerland was playing as an intermediary.
As Washington engaged in whirlwind efforts prior to the attack to prepare for the expected violence, it sent “a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel”, a senior administration official said.
Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff, was more explicit, telling state television that “we sent a message to America through the Swiss embassy that if it cooperates with Israel in their next potential actions, their bases will not be secure”.
Mediator role
Switzerland, renowned for its neutrality, has been representing U.S. interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations with Tehran after the 1980 hostage crisis, a year after the Iranian revolution.
In its role as the so-called protecting power, Switzerland has for decades allowed the two feuding nations to maintain a minimum of diplomatic and consular relations.
The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles all consular affairs between the U.S. and Iran, including passport requests, altering civil status and consular protection for U.S. citizens in Iran.
Under the protecting power mandate, Switzerland allows “states to maintain low-level relations and provide consular protection to nationals of the other state concerned”, the Foreign Ministry explains on its website.
“Switzerland can either offer to act as a go-between on its own initiative or can fulfil this function at the request of the parties concerned, provided that all those involved agree,” it added.
Switzerland has often had to play the go-between role. The wealthy Alpine nation has on several occasions in recent years mediated in prisoner exchanges between Iran and the U.S. Iran’s interests in the U.S. are meanwhile represented by Pakistan.
Switzerland also exercises a range of other protecting power mandates. It represents Iran’s interests in Egypt and Canada.
And it represented Iran’s interests in Saudi Arabia for five years before the two countries resumed diplomatic relations last year. Saudi Arabia has not yet formally terminated Switzerland’s protecting power mandate, so Bern still handles its consular services in Iran. And until 2015, it represented U.S. interests in Cuba and Cuban interests in the U.S.
Long-played act
Switzerland first acted as a protecting power in the 19th century. It looked after the interests of the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Grand Duchy of Baden in France during the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War.
During the Second World War, Switzerland’s neutral status paved the way for it to be the main protecting power, representing the interests of 35 states, including the major warring powers, with more than 200 individual mandates.
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