“I would have skipped a visit”

Outrage was rampant when the Swiss ambassador to Iran, Nadine Olivieri Lozano, visited a holy shrine in the city of Qom wearing a veil on Wednesday. This despite the fact that the Iranian regime has been using violence against popular protests for months. These have been taking place since the death of Mahsa Jina Amini († 22) on September 16 last year. The young woman had been arrested three days earlier because she was not wearing a headscarf.

The situation in Switzerland is reminiscent of a performance by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Micheline Calmy-Rey (77) in 2008: during a visit to Iran, she also wore a headscarf, for which she was strongly criticized. However, it was a loosely wrapped headscarf and not a chador, ie a traditional Iranian women’s robe like Olivieri Lozano’s.

Calmy-Rey speaks of a questionable sign

Calmy-Rey was in Iran at the time to sign an agreement. She found wearing the headscarf “very difficult”, she recalls Blick. But it was the state of the meeting. A meeting where the Swiss position on human rights was also discussed.

According to Calmy-Rey, wearing the chador was probably another condition for the Swiss ambassador. Nevertheless, former federal councilor Olivieri has criticized Lozano’s visit. This set “a doubtful mark”. And Camy-Rey doubles down: “I could have done without it.”

Shaking head from left to right

The veiled appearance of the Swiss diplomat also caused a shake of the head among local foreign policy makers. For example with Sibel Arslan (42), National Councilor of the Greens of Basel. Given the current circumstances in Iran, Arslan considers the visit in this form difficult.

It is important to engage in dialogue and find ways to ensure that human rights are respected. But it should not be the case that Switzerland overly adapts to the structures of the Iranian regime, Arslan said: “Diplomation must take place in silence behind the scenes at this time.”

Quiet diplomacy

It sounds similar to bourgeois foreign politicians. Franz Grüter (59), SVP National Councilor of Lucerne and Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee says: “I don’t understand the public behavior.” He also expresses a desire for “silent diplomacy”. “Switzerland, of course, has a protective power mandate and cannot simply break off talks, but I still advise diplomats to be very cautious,” he says. Public appearances are currently out of place and would “pour oil on the fire”.

Fellow party member Roland Rino Büchel (57) speaks of an “egg dance”. With any type of visit, you have to ask yourself if it wouldn’t be better not to do it – especially in the current situation, according to the National Council of St. Gallen. Because: “The chance that such an appearance is exploited by the other party is great.”

propaganda on the internet

This is indeed the case. On social media, there are examples of Tehran engaging in propaganda with the appearance of the Swiss ambassador. However, the State Department defended this.

Olivieri Lozano’s visit was to an academic institution working in the field of interreligious dialogue. This is “of great importance in the current context”. In this context, a short visit to an important religious site took place. During the visit, the applicable clothing protocol for women was observed. And: Switzerland would use all available channels to promote dialogue, including between states as part of its good offices.

Ambassador Olivieri Lozano could not be reached by Blick. (bgs)

Source:Blick