Swiss neutrality and the war in Iran

Dear reader,

I still remember the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. The justification put forward by Washington – alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction – and the absence of a specific United Nations Security Council mandate triggered significant political upheaval.

The ongoing war in Iran is also likely to fuel debate in the medium term. Switzerland has now clarified its position – and it closely mirrors that of 2003: Swiss airspace is being partially closed to the parties to the conflict, and restrictions are being placed on the export of military equipment. (We reported on this in detail here.)

Under the rules of Swiss neutrality, the country may not make its territory – including its airspace – available to belligerents. This mainly affects overflights by US aircraft, given Washington’s extensive military presence in Europe.

The Swiss government has decided that US requests for overflights will be rejected if they are connected to the conflict with Iran. Exceptions apply to flights transporting injured personnel and to those demonstrably unrelated to the war. All other flights must bypass Swiss airspace.

The Federal Council is keeping some room for manoeuvre. It explicitly states that requests will be denied “if they exceed normal traffic, and it cannot be determined for what purpose the overflights are intended”. To date, Switzerland has rejected two requests involving reconnaissance aircraft, while three other applications have been approved.

Could Switzerland’s neutrality provoke anger in Washington? The US President has been urging NATO partners to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. But enthusiasm is limited – not least because many allies lack the military capabilities to do so.

It is also worth noting that the Federal Council’s decision is based on its assessment that the US‑Israeli military operation against Iran legally constitutes a war. The United States has so far avoided using this term. So much for claims that neutral states have no opinions.

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Best regards,

Giannis Mavris

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