Diplomatic relations Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...

between the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and

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 Turkm ...

(

Persia 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 Turkme ...

) have existed since the 17th century. However, the relationship changed significantly after 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 dyna ...

Development

Beginning the relation in 17th century

Political relations between Persia and the Netherlands started under Shah Abbas I. In 1626, the first Persian ambassador to Holland,

Mousa Beig Mousa ( non, Mosey "moss island") is a small island in Shetland, Scotland, uninhabited since the nineteenth century. The island is known for the Broch of Mousa, an Iron Age round tower, and is designated as a Special Protection Area for storm ...

( fa, موسی بیگ) presented his credentials at the

States-General of the Netherlands The States General of the Netherlands ( nl, Staten-Generaal ) is the supreme bicameral legislature of the Netherlands consisting of the Senate () and the House of Representatives (). Both chambers meet at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The States ...

20th century

Prince-Bernhard-Shah of Persia-Queen Farah-1970

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Persian and Dutch royal families made various state visits to each other's countries.

Relations with the Islamic Republic

The Netherlands has condemned Iran over its nuclear program. In 2011, the Dutch Foreign Minister announced the suspension of official relations between the Netherlands and Iran, after the Dutch-Iranian

Zahra Bahrami Zahra Bahrami, also spelled Sahra Baahrami ( fa, زهرا بهرامی; 25 January 1965 – 29 January 2011) (Previous name: Zahra Mehrabi), was a dual Dutch and Iranian citizen who was executed in Iran after being arrested during a politica ...

was executed in Iran. On June 7, 2018, the Netherlands expelled two Iranian diplomats accredited to the Iranian embassy. In response, Iran summoned the Dutch ambassador in July 2018. In January 2019, the government of the Netherlands accused Iran of having arranged the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin: Mohammad-Reza Kolahi in 2015, and Ahmad Molla Nissi in 2017. The incident caused outcry both in the Netherlands and internationally; EU responded with sanctions against Iranian intelligence. Iranian officials in turn accused the Netherlands of supporting the

People's Mujahedin of Iran The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) or Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) ( fa, سازمان مجاهدين خلق ايران, sâzmân-e mojâhedīn-e khalq-e īrân), is an Iranian pol ...

with its members in western Europe, who Mohammad-Reza Kolahi is believed to be a part of. In January 2024, the Dutch government summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Netherlands following the death of a Dutch baby in an attack by Iran on

Erbil Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000. H ...

Trade

The Netherlands was formerly one of Iran's leading trade partners in Europe. At least 65 Dutch companies have economic ties with the Islamic Republic. In spite of economic sanctions imposed by 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 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

and the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

, Shell, a UK-registered Anglo-Dutch oil company continues to buy billions in crude oil from Iran each year.

Political-economic conflicts

In 1974, Iranian students occupied the Iran Embassy in

Wassenaar Wassenaar (; population: in ) is a municipality and town located in the province of South Holland, on the western coast of the Netherlands. An affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies north of that city on the N44/A44 highway near the Nort ...

, out of protest against suppression and executions in Iran. Considering the 100 guilder fine too low a punishment for the students, the Persian government suspended all imports from Netherlands for a while. In 2008 Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, warned the Netherlands not to air

Geert Wilders Geert Wilders (; born 6 September 1963) is a Dutch politician who has led the Party for Freedom (''Partij voor de Vrijheid'' – PVV) since he founded it in 2006. He is also the party's leader in the House of Representatives (''Tweede Kamer'') ...

' anti-Muslim film '' Fitna''. Iran has criticised the Netherlands for funding Radio Zamaneh. During the 2009 public unrest and demonstrations in Iran,

Majid Ghahremani Majid or majeed may refer to: * , ''majīd'' 'majestic', and , ''mājid'' 'magnificent', two names of God in Islam Arts and entertainment * ''Majid'' (film), a 2010 Moroccan film * Majid (rapper) (born 1975), a Danish rapper of Moroccan-Berber ori ...

, Iranian ambassador to the Netherlands, accused the Dutch government of interfering in Iran's internal affairs. A Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman said subsidies to the radio station would be continued, with the aim of improving the situation of

human rights in Iran From the Imperial Pahlavi dynasty (1925 to 1979), through the Islamic Revolution (1979), to the era of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979 to current), government treatment of Iranian citizens' rights has been criticized by Iranians, by interna ...

Cultural relations

In 2011 Iran established a series of cultural exhibits showing pictures featuring Iran's historical monuments and tourist attractions.

Diplomacy

;Republic of Iran *

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a list of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's ad ...

(Embassy) ;of the Netherlands *

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the Capital city, 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 th ...

(Embassy)

References

Literature

* Herbert, Thomas. ''Travels in Persia 1627-1629''. Edited by Sir Williams Foster, London, 1928. *
Perzië Blokkert Import Uit Ons Land
'. Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 19-04-1974. * Meilink, M. A. P. ''The earliest Relations between Persia and the Netherlands''. "Persica" (Annual of the Dutch-Iranian Society), Vol. 6, 1974. * Hotz, A. ''Journaal der reis van den gezant der O. I Compagnie, Joan Cunaus naar Perzië in 1651-1652 door Cornelis Speelman''. Hist Gen., Utrecht, Amsterdam, 1980. {{DEFAULTSORT:Iran-Netherlands Relations