List of ambassadors of Sweden to Iran

{{Infobox official post

| post = Ambassador

| body =
Sweden to Iran

| native_name =

| insignia = Coat of arms of Sweden.svg

| insigniasize = 100px

| insigniacaption = Lesser coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden

| insigniaalt =

| flag =

| flagsize = 200

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| flagborder = yes

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| incumbent = Mathias Otterstedt

| acting =

| incumbentsince = January 2025

| department = Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Swedish Embassy, Tehran

| style = His or Her Excellency (formal)
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)

| type =

| status =

| abbreviation =

| member_of =

| reports_to = Minister for Foreign Affairs

| residence =

| seat = Tehran, Iran

| nominator =

| appointer = Government of Sweden

| appointer_qualified =

| termlength = No fixed term

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| precursor =

| inaugural = Carl von Heidenstam

| formation = 26 March 1929

| first =

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| website = {{url|https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/iran-tehran/|Swedish Embassy, Tehran}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Ambassador of Sweden to Iran (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Islamic Republic of Iran) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the president of Iran and government of Iran.

History

Sweden's first envoy accredited in Tehran was Sweden's envoy in Moscow, Carl von Heidenstam, who was appointed on 26 March 1929. The King in Council appointed von Heidenstam, as it had become desirable—partly due to the development of Swedish-Persian trade relations—to establish direct diplomatic relations with Persia. He presented his letter of credence to the Shah of Persia, Reza Shah on 24 April of the same year.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1929-04-30/12/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Envoyén von Heidenstam sändebud även i Teheran |trans-title=Envoy von Heidenstam envoy also in Tehran |page=12A |date=1929-04-30 |access-date=22 August 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}

The engineer Hugo von Heidenstam was appointed in 1936 as Sweden's first resident minister in Tehran.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1936-09-11/24/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Iran lärde torka frukt |page=24 |date=1936-09-11 |access-date=22 August 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}} He was also the first Swedish minister in Tehran to be accredited to Baghdad, Iraq. Previously, the Swedish minister in Moscow was accredited in Baghdad. von Heidenstam presented his credentials in Baghdad on 9 December 1936.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1936-12-17/12/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Nyutnämnde svenske ministern i Bagdad och Teheran H. von Heidenstam |trans-title=The newly appointed Swedish minister in Baghdad and Tehran H. von Heidenstam |page=12A |date=1936-12-17 |access-date=22 August 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}

In July 1949, the King in Council decided to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan. The then Minister in Tehran and Baghdad, Envoy Harry Eriksson, was appointed to also serve as the envoy in Karachi.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1949-07-09/4/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Representationen i utlandet utökas |page=4A |date=1949-07-09 |access-date=27 July 2023 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}

In September 1957, an agreement was reached between the Swedish and Iranian governments on the mutual elevation of the respective countries' legations to embassies. The diplomatic rank was thereafter changed to ambassador instead of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1957-09-21/4/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Nya ambassader |trans-title=New embassies |page=4A |date=1957-09-21 |access-date=22 August 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}

In August 1960, after an agreement was reached between the Swedish and Afghan governments that the heads of missions in their respective countries would hold the rank of ambassador, Sweden's then-ambassador to Tehran and Baghdad, Dick Hichens-Bergström, was also appointed as ambassador to Kabul.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1960-08-18/17/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Nya ambassadeer |trans-title=New embassies |page=A17 |date=1960-08-18 |access-date=22 August 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}

List of representatives

class="wikitable" !Name	Period	Title	Notes	Ref
Carl von Heidenstam	26 March 1929 – 1930	Envoy	Accredited from the Swedish legation in Moscow.	{{cite encyclopedia \|url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=12771 \|publisher=National Archives of Sweden \|encyclopedia=Svenskt biografiskt lexikon \|title=Carl G Heidenstam, von \|first=Krister \|last=Wahlbäck \|year=1969–1971 \|volume=18 \|page=536 \|access-date=2023-09-04 \|language=sv}}
Eric Gyllenstierna	5 September 1930 – 1936	Envoy	Accredited from the Swedish legation in Moscow.	{{cite web \|url=https://www.adelsvapen.com/genealogi/Gyllenstierna_af_Lundholm_nr_3#TAB_26 \|publisher=Adelsvapen \|website=www.adelsvapen.com \|title=TAB 26 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv}}
Gunnar Reuterskiöld	1934–1936	Chargé d'affaires ad interim		{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1943/0682.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1943 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1943 \|year=1942 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|10335454}} \|page=682}}
Hugo von Heidenstam	1 June 1936 – 1 August 1942	Envoy	Also accredited to Baghdad.	{{cite news \|url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1936-05-20/6/SVD \|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet \|title=Ny minister utnämnd i Teheran \|trans-title=New minister appointed in Tehran \|page=6A \|date=1936-05-20 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv \|url-access=subscription}}{{cite news \|url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1942-07-25/16/SVD \|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet \|title=Envoyé von Heidenstam meddelad avsked \|trans-title=Envoy von Heidenstam announced resignation \|page=16 \|date=1942-07-25 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv \|url-access=subscription}}{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemarvem/sthlm45/0318.html \|editor1-last=Harnesk \|editor1-first=Paul \|date=1945 \|title=Vem är vem? \|volume=D. 1, Stockholmsdelen \|trans-title=Who's Who? \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Vem är vem bokförlag \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|8198269}} \|page=302}}
Olof Ripa	1941–1941	Chargé d'affaires ad interim		{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1985/0927.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985 \|year=1984 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-843222-0 \|id={{SELIBR\|3681527}} \|page=927}}
Harald Pousette	1941–1945	Chargé d'affaires ad interim	Also accredited to Baghdad.	{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/63364/gupea_2077_63364_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|title=Sveriges statskalender för året 1945 \|year=1945 \|publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer \|location=Uppsala \|language=sv \|page=265}}
Gunnar Jarring	1945–1945	Chargé d'affaires ad interim	Also accredited to Baghdad.	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/0553.html \|editor-last=Salander Mortensen \|editor-first=Jill \|year=1996 \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|isbn=91-1-960852-7 \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|3681533}} \|page=553}}
Harald Pousette	1945–1947	Envoy	Also accredited to Baghdad.	{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/64326/gupea_2077_64326_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|title=Sveriges statskalender för året 1947 \|year=1947 \|publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer \|location=Uppsala \|language=sv \|page=278}}
Harry Eriksson	1948–1951	Envoy	Also accredited to Baghdad and Karachi (from 1949).	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1957/0289.html \|editor-last=Burling \|editor-first=Ingeborg \|year=1956 \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1957 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1957 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|page=265}}
Gunnar Jarring	1951–1952	Envoy	Also accredited to Baghdad and Karachi.
Ragnvald Bagge	1953–1957	Envoy	Also accredited to Baghdad and Karachi (until 1956).	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1985/0081.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985 \|year=1984 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-843222-0 \|id={{SELIBR\|3681527}} \|page=81}}
Ragnvald Bagge	1957–1959	Ambassador	Also accredited to Baghdad.
Dick Hichens-Bergström	1959–1963	Ambassador	Also accredited to Baghdad and Kabul (from 1960).	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1985/0482.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985 \|year=1984 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-843222-0 \|id={{SELIBR\|3681527}} \|page=482}}
Eyvind Bratt	1964–1967	Ambassador	Also accredited to Kabul.	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1985/0168.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985 \|year=1984 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-843222-0 \|id={{SELIBR\|3681527}} \|page=168}}
Nils-Eric Ekblad	1967–1970	Ambassador	Also accredited to Kabul.	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1977/0258.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1977 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1977 \|year=1976 \|publisher=Norstedt \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-766022-X \|id={{SELIBR\|3681523}} \|page=238}}
Gustaf Bonde	1970–1973	Ambassador	Also accredited to Kabul.	{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59464/gupea_2077_59464_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Sköldenberg \|editor-first=Bengt \|title=Sveriges statskalender 1973 \|year=1973 \|publisher=Almqvist & Wiksell \|location=Uppsala \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|3682755}} \|pages=350, 354}}
Bengt Odhner	1973–1978	Ambassador	Also accredited to Kabul.	{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1981/0816.html \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1981 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1981 \|year=1980 \|publisher=Norstedt \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=91-1-805012-3 \|id={{SELIBR\|3681525}} \|page=796}}
Kaj Sundberg	1978–1980	Ambassador	Also accredited to Kabul.	{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59641/gupea_2077_59641_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Sköldenberg \|editor-first=Bengt \|title=Sveriges statskalender 1979 \|year=1979 \|publisher=Liber \|location=Stockholm \|isbn=91-38-04622-9 \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|3682760}} \|pages=331, 341}}{{cite news \|url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1980-01-20/1/SVD \|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet \|title=UD möblerar om: Sveriges nye man i Finland \|number=19 \|page=1 \|date=1980-01-20 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv \|url-access=subscription}}
Göran Bundy	1980–1985	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1993/0186.html \|editor1-last=Uddling \|editor1-first=Hans \|editor2-last=Paabo \|editor2-first=Katrin \|year=1992 \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|isbn=91-1-914072-X \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|8261513}} \|page=186}}
Bo Henrikson	1985–1988	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/0477.html \|editor-last=Salander Mortensen \|editor-first=Jill \|year=1996 \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|isbn=91-1-960852-7 \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|3681533}} \|page=477}}
Håkan Granqvist	1989–1994	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/0390.html \|editor-last=Salander Mortensen \|editor-first=Jill \|year=1996 \|title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 \|trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997 \|location=Stockholm \|publisher=Norstedt \|isbn=91-1-960852-7 \|language=sv \|id={{SELIBR\|3681533}} \|page=390}}
Hans Andersson	1992–1997	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59831/gupea_2077_59831_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Almqvist \|editor-first=Gerd \|title=Sveriges statskalender 1997 \|year=1997 \|publisher=Fritzes \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=9138309734 \|id={{SELIBR\|3682776}} \|page=182}}
Mats Marling	1997–2000	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59824/gupea_2077_59824_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Spiegelberg \|editor-first=Christina \|title=Sveriges statskalender 2000 \|year=2000 \|publisher=Fritzes \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=91-38-31692-7 \|id={{SELIBR\|8261600}} \|page=178}}
Steen Hohwü-Christensen	2000–2003	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59836/gupea_2077_59836_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Spiegelberg \|editor-first=Christina \|title=Sveriges statskalender 2003 \|year=2003 \|publisher=Fritzes \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=91-38-32045-2 \|id={{SELIBR\|8869747}} \|page=174}}
Christofer Gyllenstierna	2003–2007	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59890/gupea_2077_59890_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|editor-last=Spiegelberg \|editor-first=Christina \|title=Sveriges statskalender 2007 \|year=2007 \|publisher=Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=9138323583 \|id={{SELIBR\|10414913}} \|page=177}}
Magnus Wernstedt	2008–2012	Ambassador		{{cite book \|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/59894/gupea_2077_59894_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y \|title=Sveriges statskalender 2010 \|year=2010 \|publisher=Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes \|location=Stockholm \|language=sv \|isbn=978-91-38-32520-9 \|id={{SELIBR\|11846164}} \|page=183}}
Peter Tejler	2012–2016	Ambassador
Helena Sångeland	September 2016 – 2019	Ambassador		{{cite press release \|url=https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2016/06/ny-ambassador-i-iran/ \|publisher=Ministry for Foreign Affairs \|title=Ny ambassadör i Iran \|trans-title=New ambassador in Iran \|date=9 June 2016 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv}}
Mattias Lentz	1 September 2019 – August 2023	Ambassador	Presented credentials on 19 November 2019.	{{cite press release \|url=https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2019/06/ny-ambassador-i-iran/ \|publisher=Ministry for Foreign Affairs \|title=Ny ambassadör i Iran \|trans-title=New ambassador in Iran \|date=13 June 2019 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv}}{{cite web \|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/aktuellt/nyheter/ambassad%C3%B6ren-%C3%B6verl%C3%A4mnade-sina-kreditivbrev/ \|publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Tehran \|title=Ambassadören överlämnade sina kreditivbrev \|trans-title=The ambassador presented his letter of credence \|date=27 November 2019 \|access-date=23 August 2024 \|language=sv}}
Lars Ronnås	August 2023 – March 2024	Chargé d'affaires ad interim		{{cite web \|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222221831/https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Tehran \|title=Om oss \|trans-title=About us \|date=16 March 2023 \|archive-date=22 February 2024 \|access-date=13 January 2025 \|language=sv}}
Jöran Bjällerstedt	March 2024 – August 2024	Chargé d'affaires ad interim		{{cite web \|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714084121/https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Tehran \|title=Om oss \|trans-title=About us \|date=16 March 2023 \|archive-date=14 July 2024 \|access-date=13 January 2025 \|language=sv}}
Eric Salmgren von Schantz	September 2024 – 2025	Chargé d'affaires ad interim		{{cite web \|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250113211435/https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Tehran \|title=Om oss \|trans-title=About us \|date=5 September 2024 \|archive-date=13 January 2025 \|access-date=13 January 2025 \|language=sv}}{{cite web \|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114183443/https://www.swedenabroad.se/sv/utlandsmyndigheter/iran-teheran/om-oss/ \|publisher=Embassy of Sweden, Tehran \|title=Om oss \|trans-title=About us \|date=5 September 2024 \|archive-date=14 January 2025 \|access-date=10 March 2025 \|language=sv}}
Mathias Otterstedt	January 2025 – present	Ambassador	Appointed in June 2023. Took office in January 2025.{{efn\|On Iranian state television on 20 July 2023, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stated: 'The Swedish ambassador's term in Tehran has ended, and under the president's orders, we will not accept a new Swedish ambassador until the Swedish government takes strong action against the desecration of the Holy Quran.{{cite news \|url=https://www.dn.se/sverige/iran-portar-sveriges-nya-ambassador/ \|newspaper=Dagens Nyheter \|title=Iran portar Sveriges nya ambassadör \|trans-title=Iran bars Sweden's new ambassador \|agency=TT \|date=2023-07-21 \|access-date=12 January 2025 \|language=sv}} Otterstedt presented his crendentials to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on 27 January 2025, thus beginning his term as ambassador.{{cite web \|url=https://en.mfa.gov.ir/portal/newsview/760467/New-Swedish-ambassador-meets-Iran-FM-presents-credentials \|publisher= \|title=New Swedish ambassador meets Iran FM presents credentials \|date=2025-01-27 \|access-date=10 March 2025}}}}	{{cite press release \|url=https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2023/06/mathias-otterstedt-ny-ambassador-i-iran/ \|publisher=Ministry for Foreign Affairs \|title=Mathias Otterstedt ny ambassadör i Iran \|trans-title=Mathias Otterstedt new ambassador in Iran \|date=8 June 2023 \|access-date=22 August 2024 \|language=sv}}

Footnotes

References

External links

{{Official website|https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/iran-tehran/|Embassy of Sweden, Tehran}} {{lang in|sv|en}}

Iran

Sweden