United States Ambassador to Iran
Encyclopedia
Prior to 1944, Iran was not served by a United States ambassador; instead, a diplomatic minister was sent instead. After the revolution in 1944, the first ambassador was then named.
After the Iran Hostage Crisis
in 1980, the United States terminated diplomatic relations with the regime, therefore no ambassadors have since been appointed. The United States government has since then been represented in Iran by the United States Interests Section
of the Embassy of Switzerland
in Tehran
.
ambassadors and other heads of diplomatic mission
s to Persia and Iran
.
After the Iran Hostage Crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
in 1980, the United States terminated diplomatic relations with the regime, therefore no ambassadors have since been appointed. The United States government has since then been represented in Iran by the United States Interests Section
Protecting power
A protecting power is a state which somehow protects another state, and/or represents the interests of the protected state's citizens in a third state....
of the Embassy of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
List of Ambassdors
This is a list of United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassadors and other heads of diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
s to Persia and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Persia
- Henry Harris JessupHenry Harris JessupHenry Harris Jessup was an American Presbyterian missionary, author, and a founder of the American University of Beirut.-Biography:...
- nominated for Chargé d'AffairesChargé d'affairesIn diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
but withdrawn before approval - S.G.W. Benjamin (1883–1885) - first Chargé d'Affaires, but promoted to Minister Resident almost immediately
- Bayless W. Hanna (1885) - Minister Resident - took oath of office but did not go to Persia
- Frederick H. WinstonFrederick H. WinstonFrederick Hampden Winston was a prominent American lawyer who was one of the founders of the law firm that is today Winston & Strawn. He served as the American Minister to Persia, 1885-1886.-Biography:...
(1885–1886) - Minister Resident - E. Spencer Pratt (1886–1891) - Minister Resident
- Truxtun BealeTruxtun BealeTruxtun Beale was an American diplomat.-Biography:Beale was born in San Francisco to Edward Fitzgerald Beale and Mary Engle Edwards; his siblings were Mary and Emily . He was named for his grand-father Commodore Thomas Truxtun...
(1891–1892) - Minister Resident - Watson R. Sperry (1892–1893) - Minister Resident
- Alexander McDonaldAlexander McDonaldAlexander McDonald was a Republican politician who represented Arkansas in the U.S. Senate from 1868 to 1871.-Biography:...
(1893–1897) - Minister Plenipotentiary, later Minister Resident - Arthur S. HardyArthur Sherburne HardyArthur Sherburne Hardy was an American engineer, educator, editor, diplomat, novelist, and poet.-Early life and education:...
(1897–1899) - Minister Resident - William P. Lord (1899) - would have been Minister Resident, but declined appointment
- Herbert W. Bowen (1899–1901) - Minister Resident
- Lloyd C. GriscomLloyd Carpenter GriscomLloyd Carpenter Griscom was an American diplomat.-Biography:He was born on November 4, 1872 in born at Riverton, New Jersey to Clement Griscom. He graduated in 1891 from the University of Pennsylvania and studied law there and then at the New York Law School...
(1901–1902) - Minister Plenipotentiary - Richmond PearsonRichmond PearsonRichmond Pearson was an American diplomat and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina.-Biography:He was born in Yadkin County, North Carolina, the fourth of five children of North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Richmond Mumford Pearson.Pearson studied law and was admitted...
(1902–1907) - Minister Plenipotentiary - John B. Jackson (1907–1909) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Charles W. Russell (1909–1914) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- John L. Caldwell (1914–1921) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Joseph Saul Kornfeld (1921–1924) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Hoffman Philip (1925–1928) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Charles C. Hart (1929–1933) - Minister Plenipotentiary, last envoy accredited to "Persia"
Iran
- William H. Hornibrook (1934–1936) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Gordon P. Merriam (1936–1937) - Chargé d'Affaires
- Cornelius Van H. Engert (1937–1940) - Chargé d'Affaires
- Louis G. Dreyfus, Jr. (1940–1943) - Minister Plenipotentiary
- Leland B. MorrisLeland B. MorrisLeland Burnette Morris was an American diplomat. He was the first United States Ambassador to Iran, serving that post from 1944 to 1945. Earlier he was the United States Ambassador to Iceland...
(1944–1945) - First ambassador - Wallace Murray (1945–1946)
- George V. Allen (1946–1948)
- John C. Wiley (1948–1950)
- Henry F. GradyHenry F. GradyHenry Francis Grady was an American diplomat. Born in San Francisco, California to John Henry and Ellen Genevieve Grady, he earned a PhD in Economics from Columbia University. On October 18, 1917 he married Lucretia Louise del Valle Henry Francis Grady (February 12, 1882 - September 14, 1957)...
(1950–1951) - Loy W. HendersonLoy W. HendersonLoy Wesley Henderson was a United States Foreign Service Officer and diplomat.-Early life:Henderson was born in Rogers, Arkansas in 1892 to a poor Methodist preacher. He attended college in a small town in Kansas before transferring to Northwestern University...
(1951–1954) - Julius C. HolmesJulius C. HolmesJulius C. Holmes was born in Pleasanton, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1922.In 1942, Holmes served as the Executive Officer for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff...
- nominated, but nomination withdrawn before approved - Selden ChapinSelden ChapinSelden Chapin was a career foreign service officer and United States diplomat.-Biography:Selden Chapin was born at Erie, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1919 and served in the U.S. Navy from 1919 to 1925. He married Mary Paul Noyes, March 30, 1927.He was...
(1955–1958) - Edward T. WailesEdward T. WailesEdward Thompson Wailes was a United States diplomat.-Biography:Edward T. Wailes was born in Brooklyn on February 16, 1903. He was educated at Princeton University, receiving a B.A. in 1925 and Columbia Law School, graduating in 1927....
(1958–1961) - Julius C. HolmesJulius C. HolmesJulius C. Holmes was born in Pleasanton, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1922.In 1942, Holmes served as the Executive Officer for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff...
(1961–1965) - Armin H. Meyer (1965–1969)
- Douglas MacArthur IIDouglas MacArthur IIDouglas MacArthur II was an American diplomat.MacArthur was the son of Captain Arthur MacArthur III and Mary McCalla MacArthur, and was named for his uncle, General Douglas MacArthur. He was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He married Laura Louise Barkley on August 21, 1934, the daughter of future...
(1969–1972) - Joseph S. FarlandJoseph S. FarlandJoseph Simpson Farland served as United States Ambassador to four different countries.Farland was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia and raised that city as well as in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelors and a law degree from West Virginia University and did further studies at...
(1972–1973) - Richard HelmsRichard HelmsRichard McGarrah Helms was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1966 to 1973. He was the only director to have been convicted of lying to the United States Congress over Central Intelligence Agency undercover activities. In 1977, he was sentenced to the maximum fine and received a suspended...
(1973–1977) - William H. SullivanWilliam H. SullivanWilliam Healy Sullivan was an American Foreign Service career officer who served as Ambassador to Laos from 1964-1969, the Philippines from 1973-1977, and Iran from 1977-1979....
(1977–1979) - Walter L. CutlerWalter L. CutlerWalter Leon Cutler is a diplomat and former United States Ambassador to Congo-Kinshasa , Tunisia , Saudi Arabia , and Ambassador-Designate to Iran . He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.Walter L...
- nominated, but rejected by Iran - Bruce LaingenBruce LaingenLowell Bruce Laingen was the senior American official held hostage during the Iran hostage crisis.-Biography:Laingen, born on a farm in southern Minnesota, graduated from St. Olaf College. He also studied at the National War College, and received a M.A. in International Relations from the...
(1979) - Chargé d'Affaires, seized with the embassy on November 4, 1979 . He was later released.
See also
- Iran – United States relations
- Foreign relations of IranForeign relations of IranForeign relations of Iran refers to inter-governmental relationships between Iran and other countries. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the newly-born Islamic Republic, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, dramatically reversed the pro-Western foreign policy of the last Shah of Iran,...
- Ambassadors of the United States