Below is a list of diplomats representing Britain in Iran. Although Britain and Iran (originally Persia) did not enter into formal diplomatic relations until 1807, British and Iranians had been in informal contact since the early 17th century when the East India Company developed trade links with the Persian kingdom. Initially, diplomatic missions comprised a legation until they were promoted to embassy status in 1943.
Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary
1807–1811: Sir Harford Jones-Brydges, 1st Baronet, envoy extraordinary
1810–1814: Sir Gore Ouseley, Bt, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
April 1814–October 1815: James Morier, Minister Plenipotentiary (ad interim)
13 April 1814: Sir Henry Ellis, Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary (ad interim), in James Morier's absence
1815–22, 1823–26: Henry Willcock, chargé d'affaires
1822–23: Major G. Willcock, deputy chargé d'affaires
29 July 1826: Colonel John MacDonald, Envoy Extraordinary from Government of India
4 December 1833: Sir John Campbell, appointed to negotiate a treaty
1835–1836: Sir Henry Ellis, ambassador
1836–1842: Sir John McNeill, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiaryNo representation during the Siege of Herat
1844–1854: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Justin Sheil, secretary of legation February 1836, Head of Mission 1839–44, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary 1844–54
1847–49: Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Farrant, chargé d'affaires
1849, 1853–55: Sir William Taylour Thomson, chargé d'affaires
1854–1855: Sir Charles Murray, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
1855–1857: No representation due to the Anglo-Persian War
1857–1858: Sir Charles Murray, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
1858–59: Sir William Doria, chargé d'affaires
1859–1860: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry Rawlinson, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
November–December 1859: Sir Ronald Thomson, chargé d'affaires
1860–1872: Charles Alison, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary April 1872May–July 1860: Captain (later Colonel Sir) Lewis Pelly, chargé d'affaires
November–December 1862: Sir Ronald Thomson, chargé d'affaires
December 1862–January 1863: Edward Eastwick, chargé d'affaires
1863, 1869–70: Sir Ronald Thomson, chargé d'affaires
April–May 1872: William Dickson, chargé d'affaires
1872–73: Sir Ronald Thomson, chargé d'affaires
1872–1879: Sir William Taylour Thomson, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary1878–79: Sir Ronald Thomson, chargé d'affaires
1879–1887: Sir Ronald Ferguson Thomson, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary1885–86: Sir Arthur Nicolson, chargé d'affaires
1887–1891: Sir Henry Drummond Wolff1889, November 1890, November 1891: Robert John Kennedy, chargé d'affaires
1891–1894: Sir Frank Lascelles
1894: Sir William Conyngham Greene, chargé d'affaires
1894–1900: Sir Mortimer Durand1897–98: Lord Hardinge, chargé d'affaires
1900–1906: Sir Arthur Hardinge, GCMG, KCB (appointed Consul-General)1900–01: Sir Cecil Spring Rice, chargé d'affaires
October–November 1902: William Erskine, chargé d'affaires
1904, 1905: Evelyn Grant Duff, chargé d'affaires
1906–1908: Sir Cecil Spring Rice
1908–1912: Sir George Barclay
1912–1915: Sir Walter Townley
1915–1918: Sir Charles Marling
1918–1920: Sir Percy Cox (ad interim)
1920–1921: Herman Norman
1921–1926: Sir Percy Loraine, Bt
1926–1931: Sir Robert Clive
1931–1934: Sir Reginald Hoare
1934–1936: Sir Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen
1936–1939: Sir Horace Seymour
1942–1944: Sir Reader Bullard
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
1944–1946: Sir Reader Bullard
1946–1950: Sir John Le Rougetel
1950–1952: Sir Francis Shepherd
1952–1953: No representation due to the nationalisation of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
1954–1958: Sir Roger Stevens
1958–1963: Sir Geoffrey Harrison
1963–1971: Sir Denis Wright
1971–1974: Hon. Sir Peter Ramsbotham
1974–1979: Sir Anthony Parsons
1979–1980: Sir John Graham
In 1980 Britain closed its embassy in Tehran after a brief occupation of the compound in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis, the Iranian Embassy siege and handed representation to Sweden as protecting power.
1980–1981: Stephen Barrett
1981–1983: Nicholas John Barrington C.V.O.
In May 1986 Britain refused to accept as Iranian chargé d'affaires in London Hussein Malouk, who took part in the 1979 student takeover of the U.S. embassy, Iran blocked the appointment of Hugh James Arbuthnott as head of the British interests section in the Swedish embassy in Tehran.
1988: Paul Andrew Ramsay Senior Visa Officer British Interests Section, Tehran
1989–1990: No representation due to the fatwā issued against Salman Rushdie
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
1990–1993: David Reddaway, Chargé d'affaires
1993–1997: Sir Jeffrey Russell James, K.B.E., C.M.G., Chargé d'affaires
1997–2002: Sir Nicholas Browne, K.B.E., C.M.G.
2003–2006: Sir Richard Dalton
2006–2009: Sir Geoffrey Adams
2009–2011: Sir Simon Gass
2011–2011: Dominick Chilcott
The British Embassy in Tehran was closed following an attack on the Embassy on 29th November 2011. Sweden represented British interests in Iran through a British interests section at the Swedish Embassy in Tehran. On 11 November 2013 the UK government appointed a non-resident chargé d'affaires to Iran.
2013–2015: Ajay Sharma (non-resident Chargé d'affaires)
On 23 August 2015 the UK embassy in Tehran was reopened and the Chargé d'affaires moved to be resident there. The Chargé d'affaires was made Ambassador in September 2016.
August–November 2015: Ajay Sharma (chargé d'affaires)
December 2015–present: Nicholas Hopton (as Chargé d'affaires until September 2016; then as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary)
