Prior to 1944,

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 ...

was not served by a United States ambassador; instead, a

diplomatic minister Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as the order of precedence at official processions, table seating ...

was sent. The first ambassador was named in 1944. After the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, the United States terminated diplomatic relations with the Iranian government, therefore no ambassadors have since been appointed. The United States government has since then been represented in Iran by the United States

Interests Section A protecting power is a country that represents another sovereign state in a country where it lacks its own diplomatic representation. It is common for protecting powers to be appointed when two countries break off diplomatic relations with e ...

of the Embassy of

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

List of Ambassadors

This is a list of

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 ...

ambassadors and other heads of

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 ...

s to

Iran

Henry Harris Jessup Henry Harris Jessup (1832–1910) was an American Presbyterian missionary and author who devoted his distinguished career to evangelical missionary work in Syria (now Lebanon). Biography He was born at Montrose, Pennsylvania, son of the jurist W ...

- ''nominated for

Chargé d'Affaires A ''chargé d'affaires'' (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador ...

but withdrawn before approval'' * Samuel 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. Winston Frederick Hampden Winston (November 2, 1830 — February 19, 1904) was an American lawyer who was one of the founders of the law firm that is today Winston & Strawn. He served as the United States Ambassador to Iran, American Minister to Persia ...

(1885–1886) - ''Minister Resident'' *

E. Spencer Pratt Edward Spencer Pratt, (March 22, 1856 – April 30, 1925) was an American diplomat. He was born several miles outside of Mobile, Alabama, the son of William Henry Pratt. He was educated in Europe and received a doctorate in medicine. He graduated ...

(1886–1891) - ''Minister Resident'' * Truxtun Beale (1891–1892) - ''Minister Resident'' *

Watson R. Sperry Watson Robertson Sperry (June 25, 1842 – February 13, 1926) was an American newspaper editor and diplomat. Life Sperry was born on June 25, 1842, in Sauquoit, New York, the son of Methodist Episcopal minister Rev. Lyman Sperry and Amanda Kez ...

(1892–1893) - ''Minister Resident'' * Alexander McDonald (1893–1897) - '' Minister Plenipotentiary, later Minister Resident'' * Arthur S. Hardy (1897–1899) - ''Minister Resident'' *

William P. Lord William Paine Lord (July 20, 1838February 17, 1911) was an American Republican politician who served as the 9th governor of Oregon from 1895 to 1899. The Delaware native previously served as the 27th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, including ...

(1899) - ''would have been Minister Resident, but declined appointment'' *

Herbert W. Bowen Herbert Wolcott Bowen (29 February 1856 – 29 May 1927) was an American diplomat and poet. He served as ambassador to Venezuela, and consul-general in Spain and Persia. Early life and education Bowen was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1856, and ...

(1899–1901) - ''Minister Resident'' *

Lloyd C. Griscom Lloyd Carpenter Griscom (November 4, 1872 – February 8, 1959) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and newspaper publisher. Early life Lloyd Griscom was born on November 4, 1872, at Riverton, New Jersey. He was the son of shipping magnate Clement ...

(1901–1902) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Richmond Pearson Richmond Mumford Pearson, Jr. (January 26, 1852 – September 12, 1923) was an American diplomat and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina. Biography Richmond Mumford Pearson, Jr. was born 26 January 1852 at Richmond ...

(1902–1907) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' * John Brinkerhoff Jackson (1907–1909) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Charles Wells Russell Jr. Charles Wells Russell Jr. (1856 – 1927) was an American diplomat. Biography Russell was born in 1856 to prominent politician and lawyer Charles Wells Russell Sr. Originally, Russell worked as an attorney for the Department of Justice (DOJ) ...

(1909–1914) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

John L. Caldwell John Lawrence Caldwell (July 16, 1875 - December 6, 1922) was the United States Ambassador to Iran Prior to 1944, Iran was not served by a United States ambassador; instead, a diplomatic minister was sent. The first ambassador was named in 1944. ...

(1914–1921) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Joseph Saul Kornfeld Joseph Saul Kornfeld (February 12, 1876 – June 29, 1944) was an American reform rabbi and diplomat. He was US minister to Persia (Iran) from 1922 to 1924. Early life Kornfeld was born in 1876 in the Austro-Hungarian empire to Jewish parent ...

(1921–1924) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Hoffman Philip Herman Hoffman Philip (July 13, 1872 – October 31, 1951) was an American diplomat and career foreign service officer. Early life Herman Hoffman Philip was born on July 13, 1872, to William Henry Philip and Eliza Worthington in Washington, D.C ...

(1925–1928) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Charles C. Hart Charles Calmer Hart (September 14, 1878November 17, 1956) was an American journalist and diplomat, who served as minister to Albania from 1925 to 1929, and as minister to Persia from 1930 to 1933. Early years Born on a farm in Bryant, India ...

(1929–1933) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary, last envoy accredited to "Persia"'' *

William H. Hornibrook William Harrison Hornibrook (July 6, 1884 – October 24, 1946) was an American publisher, politician, and diplomat. Biography Hornibrook, born on July 6, 1884 in Utah, started his career as a newspaper publisher in 1906; at one point or anothe ...

(1934–1936) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Gordon P. Merriam Gordon Phelps Merriam (July 29, 1899 – February 16, 1999) was an American soldier and diplomat. Biography Merriam was born on July 29, 1899, in Lexington, Massachusetts. He would graduate from Noble and Greenough School in 1917. World War I ...

(1936–1937) - ''Chargé d'Affaires'' * Cornelius Van H. Engert (1937–1940) - ''Chargé d'Affaires'' *

Louis G. Dreyfus Jr. Louis Goethe Dreyfus Jr. (1889 – 1973) was an American diplomat. As an experienced diplomat, he served as both minister and ambassador to Afghanistan at differing times; his career at the Department of State ultimately lasted more than 40 yea ...

(1940–1943) - ''Minister Plenipotentiary'' *

Leland B. Morris Leland Burnette Morris (February 7, 1886 – July 2, 1950) was an American diplomat. A native of Fort Clark, Texas, he was the first United States Ambassador to Iran, serving that post from 1944 to 1945. Earlier he was United States Ambassador to ...

(1944–1945) - ''First ambassador'' * Wallace Murray (1945–1946) *

George V. Allen George Venable Allen (November 3, 1903 – July 11, 1970) was a United States diplomat. He served as ambassador to Iran during the crisis of 1946 and was involved in managing US relations amid the Cold War with the Soviet Union. He was involved ...

(1946–1948) *

John C. Wiley John Cooper Wiley (September 26, 1893 – February 3, 1967) was a United States Foreign Service officer and ambassador. Career Wiley was born in Bordeaux, France while his father served there as U.S. Consul. He was educated by tutors, and stud ...

(1948–1950) *

Henry F. Grady Henry Francis Grady (February 12, 1882 – September 14, 1957) was an American diplomat. Born in San Francisco, California, to John Henry and Ellen Genevieve (Rourke) Grady, he earned a PhD in economics from Columbia University. On October 18, ...

(1950–1951) *

Loy W. Henderson Loy Wesley Henderson (June 28, 1892 – March 24, 1986) was a United States Foreign Service Officer and diplomat. Background Loy Wesley Henderson was born on June 28, 1892, in Rogers, Arkansas, to a poor Methodist preacher. He attended college ...

(1951–1954) *

Julius C. Holmes Julius Cecil Holmes (April 24, 1899 – July 14, 1968) was a US government official who served as Ambassador to Iran. Holmes was born in Pleasanton, Kansas, and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1922. In 1942, Holmes served as the ...

- ''nominated, but nomination withdrawn before approved'' * Selden Chapin (1955–1958) *

Edward T. Wailes Edward Thompson Wailes (February 16, 1903 – June 25, 1969) was an American diplomat and lawyer who served as an ambassador to Czechoslovakia, South Africa, Iran, and Hungary. He also served as the sixth Assistant Secretary of State for Administ ...

(1958–1961) *

(1961–1965) *

Armin H. Meyer Armin Henry Meyer (19 January 1914, in Fort Wayne, Indiana – 13 August 2006) was an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Lebanon (1961 to 1965), United States Ambassador to Iran (1965–1969), and United States Ambassado ...

(1965–1969) *

Douglas MacArthur II Douglas MacArthur II (July 5, 1909 – November 15, 1997) was an American diplomat. During his diplomatic career, he served as United States ambassador to Japan, Belgium, Austria, and Iran, as well as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative ...

(1969–1972) *

Joseph S. Farland Joseph Simpson Farland (August 11, 1914 – January 28, 2007) served as United States Ambassador to four countries. Farland was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia and raised in that city as well as in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He received his ba ...

(1972–1973) * Richard Helms (1973–1977) *

William H. Sullivan William Healy Sullivan (October 12, 1922 – October 11, 2013) was an American Foreign Service career officer who served as ambassador to Laos from 1964 to 1969, the Philippines from 1973 to 1977, and Iran from 1977 to 1979. Early life and care ...

(1977–1979) *

Walter L. Cutler Walter Leon Cutler (born November 25, 1931 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an international consultant and advisor, with a focus on the Middle East, and a former U.S. Ambassador. Cutler was previously a career diplomat, serving twice as Ambassado ...

- ''nominated, but rejected by Iran'' * Bruce Laingen (1979) - ''Chargé d'Affaires, seized with the embassy on November 4, 1979. He was later released.

References

United States Department of State: Background notes on Iran
*

External links

United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Iran

United States Department of State: Iran
{{Iran–United States relations

20th century in Iran

List of Ambassadors

Iran

See also

References

External links