Switzerland has served as the US interests representative in Tehran since Iran’s 1979 revolution—but rising Iranian suspicion that Switzerland is 'collaborating' with Washington may have turned deadly; A new report links 3 Swiss deaths to possible IRGC hits

 

#Switzerland has served as the US interests representative in Tehran since Iran’s 1979 revolution—but rising Iranian suspicion that Switzerland is 'collaborating' with Washington may have turned deadly; A new report links 3 Swiss deaths to possible IRGC hits.

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For decades, Switzerland has maintained a neutral stance on the global stage, but in Iran, it plays a vital role. Since diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran were severed following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Switzerland has served as the official representative of U.S. interests in Iran. Swiss diplomats in Tehran often act as discreet intermediaries, passing sensitive messages between the two adversaries.

In recent years, however, a series of mysterious incidents involving Swiss nationals in Iran—two diplomats dead, another wounded, and a tourist allegedly driven to suicide in prison—has sparked growing concern in Bern. A new investigation by Swiss public broadcaster SRF, published Monday, reveals that suspicions are mounting within the diplomatic corps: Iranian intelligence, and possibly the Revolutionary Guards, may have been behind the attacks.

The first incident occurred in May 2021, when Sylvie Brunner, the Swiss deputy ambassador in Tehran, fell to her death from the 17th floor of a high-rise building in the Iranian capital. Initially, many in Switzerland accepted Iran’s claim that Brunner suffered from mental health issues and took her own life. But Iranian first responders at the scene had said there was no clear reason to suspect suicide. That claim was later retracted, and the official who made it was dismissed. Iran's official version remained that Brunner had died by suicide.