Woman diplomat to head Swiss embassy in Iran
September 8, 2008 - 0:0
SWITZERLAND (Swissinfo.ch) -- Switzerland is to represented by a woman at its embassy in Iran.
The appointment of Livia Leu Agosti comes amid controversy over a visit to Tehran by Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey earlier this year.The designated ambassador says she considers her appointment as a sign that women can play an important role in a world dominated by men.
Leu said she would wear a headscarf for her diplomatic position in Tehran – in line with Iran's legal standards.
However, several rightwing Swiss politicians criticized the appointment of Leu - who is to take over from Philippe Welti at the end of the year – and accused the foreign ministry of giving in to pressure by a Muslim country.
An Iran expert at Munich University told the Sonntag newspaper Leu's appointment was a daring step but a provocation for conservatives.
Switzerland has been representing the interests of the United States in Tehran since the 1980 and the interests of Iran in Egypt since 1979.