Official visit by President of the National Council to Iran

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Inter-parliamentary dialogue

On 11 October, Mr Aebi met with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in Tehran, as well as with the chairs of the presidents of the parliamentary committees on national security, foreign policy, agriculture, and water and natural resources. In addition to a first contact with the new parliament and government following the elections in June. The official visit to Iran allowed the delegation to resume the inter-parliamentary dialogue and take stock, in the context of the pandemic, of the implementation of the road map agreed in 2016 between Switzerland and Iran designed to broaden and structure the long-standing relationship between the two countries. The last official visit between the two countries at a parliamentary level dates back to 2015.

Switzerland's protecting power mandate at the centre of discussions

On 12 October, Mr Aebi met with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and Agriculture Minister Javad Sadati Nejad in Tehran. The talks focused in part on implementing the road map agreed between Switzerland and Iran in 2016, which is intended to broaden and structure bilateral relations, especially in the field of agriculture. During the meeting with Iran's foreign minister, Mr Aebi discussed Switzerland's protecting power mandate in Iran, which aims to maintain a channel of communication between Iran and the USA. The Iranian foreign minister also welcomed Switzerland's constructive approach of always seeking the best for the region. The National Council president and the Iranian foreign minister jointly stressed the great potential for cooperation between the two countries whether in political, parliamentary, economic or cultural terms. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan and its consequences in terms of migration and security for Iran were also addressed.

Switzerland has been representing the interests of the United States in Iran since 1980. It was given a protecting power mandate to represent Iran in Saudi Arabia and vice versa in 2017, and has also been representing Iran in Canada since 2019. Mr Aebi also visited the Foreign Interests Section of the Swiss embassy in Tehran during his trip.

Human rights and religious minorities

In the course of his various official meetings, Mr Aebi also addressed the issue of human rights, in particular the death penalty which is still in force in Iran for those who were minors at the time the crime was committed. He stressed to his Iranian interlocutors that there was no understanding for the death penalty in Switzerland, and even less so for juvenile offenders.

A meeting with the Bishop of the Armenians of Isfahan and Southern Iran gave the National Council president the opportunity to discuss the situation of religious minorities in Iran. He noted that Christians have freedom of worship in Iran and are officially recognised as a religious minority by the 1979 constitution. They have their own schools and churches which allow them to teach their religion and language and to perform their rites. Four Iranian religious minorities are guaranteed representation in Parliament (2 seats for Armenians, 1 for Assyrian-Chaldeans, 1 for the Jewish community, 1 for Zoroastrians).

Meetings with the governors of the provinces of Isfahan and Yazd

Mr Aebi's visit to the provinces of Isfahan and Yazd and his meetings with the newly appointed governors demonstrated the interest on the part of the Iranian authorities in promoting cooperation with Switzerland in the fields of water, agriculture, the economy and tourism. The discussions with the two governors addressed the issue of water shortages in the south of the country due to increased demand and the severe drought experienced this year.

During his official visit to Iran, Mr Aebi had the opportunity to visit a commercial dairy farm near Tehran, which thanks to its partnership with Nestlé has been able to improve the quality of its milk production and considerably reduce its water consumption. He also visited a weaving factory that produces traditional Zilu carpets, which is supported by Switzerland in the area of intellectual property to make the Zilu designs a protected designation of origin.

National Council president Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) during his meeting with Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament

Press conference following the meeting between National Council president Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) and Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) during his meeting with Vahid Jalalzadeh, chair of the national security and foreign policy committee

National Council president Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) and Mohammad Javad Askari, chair of the agriculture, water and natural resources committee

Official photo of the meeting between National Council president Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) in discussion with Sipan Kashchian, bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Isfahan and Southern Iran

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) visits the Armenian church of Isfahan and its museum accompanied by Bishop Sipan Kashchian.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), is welcomed to Isfahan by Abbas Rezaei, governor of the province.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), is welcomed to Yazd by Mehran Fatemi, governor of the province.

Si-o-se-pol - the bridge of 33 arches at Isfahan: for the last ten years the Zayandeh Roud river has only flowed through the town for one month a year.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), during his visit to a dairy plant near Tehran.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), in the milking hall of an Iranian dairy plant

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) participates in the weaving of a traditional Iranian carpet with Zilu motifs near Yazd.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) holding up a Zilu carpet with cedar motif.

National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), with workers from the Zilu carpet weaving factory

Following a visit to the Zilu woven carpet museum, National Council president, Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE) is presented with a portrait painted by a local artist.

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