Iranian diplomat asks for political asylum in Switzerland

Iranian diplomat Kholamreza Deriquend, who worked as Iran’s charge d’affaires in Austria, left his post and sought asylum in Switzerland, informed sources told the opposition website Iran International.

The publication notes that the Iranian Foreign Ministry does not comment on the situation, and department officials avoid discussing this case, citing security reasons. Derikvend, who held a similar position at the Iranian embassy in the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014, was considered an experienced career diplomat with prospects for an ambassadorial appointment.

According to Iran International, Alireza Jeirani Hokmabad, a senior Iranian diplomat from the Iranian mission to the UN European office in Geneva, was granted asylum in Switzerland in January. Diplomatic sources associate this decision with political instability in Iran and fears for the stability of the ruling system.