Swiss message in the middle of the war Iran-Israel

Als Schutzmacht der USA in Teheran ist die Schweiz mittendrin im Krieg zwischen Israel und Iran: Sie stellt den Diskussionskanal zwischen den Mullahs und Trump sicher. It is explosive days for the Swiss embassy staff in every respect.

The impacts of the Israeli air raids can be heard on the Swiss embassy in Tehran. The columns of smoke are in visual distance and the attacks are ongoing. The representative of the Confederation is located in the north of the city, in the district, where many representatives of the Iranian elite also live. These include high military and security officers from the Mullah regime. So exactly those people who want to eliminate Israel’s government and who targets the attacks. The number of impacts in the north of Tehran is correspondingly high.

Am Montagnachmittag publizierten Israels Streitkräfte eine Karte Teherans mit zu evakuierenden Gebieten – es war die Ankündigung weiterer Bombardements. The Swiss message is just outside. It is an exposed location, also for the embassy workers who usually have their private apartments not far.

Meanwhile, the Swiss legation in Israel, in Tel Aviv, is also exposed. The city is the preferred goal of the Iranian counterattacks. Weil der Schutzschild gegen Luftschläge nicht alle Raketen abzuwehren vermag, wird nun das Sicherheitsdispositiv auf der Schweizer Botschaft erhöht: Wie zwei gut informierte Quellen bestätigen, hat die Armee am Montag Elitesoldaten des Aufklärungsdetachements 10 nach Israel entsandt. With your knowledge and contacts to the army of Israel, you should ensure the protection of embassy staff. What you can do against rocket attacks is of course unclear.

Mullahs quote Swiss ambassador

Swiss diplomacy with Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis at the top is not only geographically close to the war. Auch politisch ist wohl kaum ein anderes europäisches Land so stark in die fieberhafte Suche nach Lösungen für eine Waffenruhe involviert wie die Schweiz. This is because of its role as a protective power of the United States in Iran.

In dieser Rolle wickelt die sogenannte Interessensektion der Schweiz alle konsularischen Angelegenheiten der USA in Iran ab, das sind Passanträge, Zivilstandänderungen oder der konsularische Schutz von US-Bürgern. At the same time, she ensures a communication channel between Tehran and Washington.

So wurde die Schweizer Botschafterin, Nadine Olivieri Lozano, bereits am ersten Tag nach den ersten Angriffen ins iranische Aussenministerium zitiert. Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis confirmed this at a media conference in Bern on Friday. Am Montag teilte das Aussendepartement (EDA) auf Anfrage mit, die Botschafterin habe dort «eine an die USA gerichtete Botschaft» entgegengenommen. Weiter äussert sich das EDA nicht: «Aus Gründen der Vertraulichkeit können wir keine weiteren Angaben zu den Aktivitäten der Schweiz im Zusammenhang mit ihrem USA-Iran-Schutzmacht-Mandat machen», schreibt es.

Gut möglich, dass das Regime in Teheran am Freitag die mit den USA fürs Wochenende anberaumten Atomverhandlungen via die Schweizer Botschafterin absagen liess. Research also shows that the Swiss channel was also used over the weekend. You can only speculate about possible content. For example, it would be possible to make Switzerland contact with possible intermediaries such as Qatar or Oman. On the other hand, it is certain that the war continues to calm the situation to calm the situation until Monday no effect.

Cassis was hours before the attack in Israel

As little as the calls to solve the conflict peacefully. Foreign Minister Cassis in Bern already said on Friday: « Nobody serves an escalation. » Switzerland calls on all actors to use the existing diplomatic channels, « our good services are available ». The Federal Council commissioned the EDA to closely pursue the development and to look for dialogue with all partners.

Für Cassis muss es eine sonderbare Situation gewesen sein: Wenige Stunden, bevor Israel seine Angriffe startete, war der Bundesrat noch zu Besuch bei seinem israelischen Amtskollegen, Gideon Sa’ar. « He didn’t say a word about it, » said Cassis. According to his information, no country was informed in advance, with the exception of the United States, but also only with a short preliminary. It can hardly be checked whether this is true.

The Federal Council dealt with the location in Middle East on Friday at its meeting. The overall government is « deeply concerned about the escalation », cassis knew about it. Jede Verschärfung der Feindseligkeiten erhöhe die ohnehin grosse Instabilität in der Region: «Der Bundesrat ruft alle Parteien zu grösster Zurückhaltung auf», sagte der Aussenminister. International humanitarian law must be strictly observed and the civilian population « protected under all circumstances ».

The ambassador in Tehran is still waiting

200 Swiss people in Iran and 29,000 in Israel are potentially affected by the acts of war. Around 75 travelers in Iran are also registered on the Travel Admin platform. In Israel, 170 tourists from Switzerland are kept. The federal government writes: « The security recommendations of the EDA have to be observed. » Since August 2, 2024, the federal government has generally advised to travel to Iran. This has also been the case for Israel since last Friday.

The EDA emphasizes that there is no organized departure from Swiss citizens. « The decision to leave a crisis region is voluntary, at your own risk and at your own expense of the exhausting person. »

For the time being, the evacuation of the messages in Tehran and Tel Aviv is not intended. All Swiss representations abroad had security and crisis-positive, but these would not be announced. As for the message in Tehran, this is closed to the public. However, she perceives all of her usual diplomatic tasks.

« The ambassador is on site, » writes the EDA. Nadine Olivieri Lozano is urgently needed – as a messenger between the Mullahs and Donald Trump.