The Former Embassy of Iran in Washington, D.C. was the

Imperial State of Iran Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, T ...

diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...

to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Direct bilateral

Iran–United States relations Iran and the United States have had no formal diplomatic relations since April 7, 1980. Instead, Pakistan serves as Iran's protecting power in the United States, while Switzerland serves as the United States' protecting power in Iran. Contacts are ...

between the two governments were severed following the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...

in 1979, and the subsequent seizure of

hostages A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or refr ...

at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran.

History

The chancery, a modernist building, was built in 1959. It is accompanied by a

Georgian style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchs of the House of Hano ...

structure that serves as the ambassador's residence. The complex is located in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Embassy Row Embassy Row is the informal name for a section of Northwest Washington, D.C. with a high concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions, and diplomatic residences. It spans Massachusetts Avenue N.W. between 18th and 35th street, bounded by ...

neighborhood. During the age of the

Shah Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...

, he attended numerous embassy functions there. The last resident

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...

Ardeshir Zahedi Ardeshir Zahedi, GCVO ( fa, اردشیر زاهدی; 16 October 1928 – 18 November 2021) was an Iranian politician and diplomat who served as the country's foreign minister from 1966 to 1971, and its ambassador to the United States and the Uni ...

, cultivated a reputation of opulence, with star-studded parties and dinners. Famous figures who visited the embassy include

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

Barbara Walters Barbara Jill Walters (born September 25, 1929) is an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing ability and popularity with viewers, Walters appeared as a host of numerous television programs, including ...

, and

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

. This was documented in 2013 by Iranian-American artist Eric Parnes, the first person in over 34 years to photograph the interior of the embassy. The embassy complex continues to be de jure owned by the

Government of Iran The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ( fa, نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران, Neẓām-e jomhūrī-e eslāmi-e Irān, known simply as ''Neẓām'' ( fa, نظام, lit=the system) among its supporters) is the ruling state a ...

, but it has not been used by the Iranian government since April 7, 1980, and its buildings and grounds are currently maintained and de facto controlled by the

U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...

. Other properties include the residence of the Iranian military attache, 3410 Garfield Street NW, and the residence of the Iranian Minister of Cultural Affairs, 2954 Upton Street NW. Six of ten buildings are being rented.

Iranian Interest Section of the Pakistani Embassy

Iran is now represented diplomatically through the

Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United States The Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United States is a part of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., and is the ''de facto'' consular representation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United States. Iranian stud ...

located in the Pakistani Embassy.

References

External links

"The iranian embassy shuttered for decades was known for hedonistic star studded gatherings"
"Washington Post", December 8, 2013

''International Information Programs digital'', Jane Morse, 26 October 2011

''The Polyglot'', January 23, 2011
"Newsline: US is protecting former Iranian embassy building in DC"
''Diplomatic Briefing'', January 12, 2011
Former Embassy of Iran
''Wikimapia'' *https://www.flickr.com/photos/albinoflea/531708419/
wikimapia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Embassy of Iran in Washington, D.C.

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

Modernist architecture in Washington, D.C.

1959 establishments in Washington, D.C. Iran–United States relations Iran–Pakistan relations Pakistan–United States relations

History

Iranian Interest Section of the Pakistani Embassy

See also

References

External links