Switzerland acts as the intermediary between the United States and Iran, so when tensions rise — as they have recently — Swiss diplomats in Tehran and Washington are busier than usual. Guillaume Scheurer, deputy chief of mission at the Swiss Embassy in Washington, will explain his country's unique role on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

The event takes place on the Rice University campus, in Baker Hall's Kelly International Conference Facility, 6100 Main.

In addition to his country's diplomatic work in Iran, Scheurer leads the embassy's political and legal section. His previous government service includes four years as deputy head for human security, peace promotion and human rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Swiss capital, Bern. From December 2001 to March 2005, he was deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, which also represents U.S. interests in Iran. 

Scheurer has also served in a number of other posts since entering the foreign service in 1992, including first secretary at the Swiss Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna; and deputy head of the Partnership for Peace/OSCE Section in Bern with responsibilities for security policy issues. His first posting overseas was in South Africa.

Scheurer received his law degree from the University of Neuchâtel and did his postgraduate studies in international security at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.