# Simon Gass > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simon_Gass > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Simon_Gass.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Gass > Source revision: 1349567442 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British Civil servant, former British diplomat Sir Simon Gass GCMG CVO Gass in June 2011 Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee In office 2019 – July 2023 Prime Minister Theresa May Boris Johnson Rishi Sunak Preceded by Charles Farr Succeeded by Madeleine Alessandri British Ambassador to Iran In office 2009–2011 Prime Minister Gordon Brown David Cameron Preceded by Sir Geoffrey Adams Succeeded by Dominick Chilcott Personal details Born (1956-11-02) 2 November 1956 (age 69) Spouse Marianne Enid Stott (1980–present) Children 3 Alma mater University of Reading **Sir Simon Lawrance Gass** [GCMG](/source/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) [CVO](/source/Commander_of_the_Royal_Victorian_Order) (born 2 November 1956) is a British civil servant. He chaired the [Joint Intelligence Committee](/source/Joint_Intelligence_Committee_(United_Kingdom)) from 2019 to 2023 and served as the British Prime Minister's representative on Afghanistan from 2021 to 2022 concurrently. Between 2018 and 2019, he was the [Commandant](/source/Commandant_Royal_College_of_Defence_Studies) of the [Royal College of Defence Studies](/source/Royal_College_of_Defence_Studies). During his diplomatic career, he served as British ambassador to Greece and to Iran. In May 2023, it was announced he was stepping down as Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and succeeded by Madeleine Alessandri. ## Career - 1977 – Joined the [FCO](/source/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office) - 1979–83 – [Lagos](/source/Lagos) - 1984–87 – [Athens](/source/Athens) - 1987–90 – FCO in London - 1990–92 – Assistant [Private Secretary](/source/Private_Secretary) to [Foreign Secretary](/source/Secretary_of_State_for_Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Affairs), London - 1992–95 – Rome - 1995–98 – Counsellor, FCO - 1998–01 – Deputy [High Commissioner](/source/High_Commissioner) South Africa - 2001–04 – Director, Resources, then Finance, FCO - 2004–09 – [Ambassador to Greece](/source/List_of_Ambassadors_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_Greece) - 2009–11 – [Ambassador to Iran](/source/List_of_Ambassadors_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_Iran) - 2011–12 – NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan - 2013–16 – Political Director, FCO, and Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan - 2017–present – Chair of the [FCDO Services](/source/FCDO_Services) Board - 2018–2019 – [Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies](/source/Commandant_Royal_College_of_Defence_Studies)[1] - 2021–2022 – Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Afghan Transition[2] - 2019–2023 – Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee[3][4] ### Ambassador to Iran He was [British Ambassador to Iran](/source/List_of_Ambassadors_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_Iran) 2009–11. He arrived in post during the spring of 2009 from his previous posting in [Greece](/source/Greece) and was present during the June 2009 protests following the disputed re-election of Iranian President [Mahmoud Ahmedinejad](/source/Mahmoud_Ahmedinejad). Following these events Gass posted his views from [Tehran](/source/Tehran) on the social networking site Twitter, commenting on the Iranian regime's record on human rights, political prisoners and freedom of speech. His 'tweets' are shared widely by Iranian reformists and diaspora across the web as well as being featured in mainstream media.[5] In January 2011, Gass passed the 1000 follower mark, making him one of the most followed diplomats on Twitter.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In December 2010, Gass's digital activities caused mild uproar among Iranian politicians, who called for his expulsion after he highlighted the case of human rights lawyer [Nasrin Sotoudeh](/source/Nasrin_Sotoudeh) in an article posted on the British Embassy in Iran website. The statement was released on International Human Rights Day and criticised Iran's human rights record.[6] The [Foreign and Commonwealth Office](/source/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office) defended Gass's comments, which gained widespread approval from his Iranian reformist followers on Twitter. ### NATO and FCO In February 2011 Gass was seconded to [NATO](/source/NATO) as [Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan](/source/NATO_Senior_Civilian_Representative_in_Afghanistan).[7] After serving in this post for 18 months he returned to the FCO in London as Director General, Political, and the Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.[8] He retired from the FCO in 2016. ### FCDO Services In 2017, Gass was appointed Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Board of [FCDO Services](/source/FCDO_Services). ## Honours Gass was appointed [Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (CMG) in the [1998 Birthday Honours](/source/1998_Birthday_Honours), [Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (KCMG) in the [2011 New Year Honours](/source/2011_New_Year_Honours),[9] and [Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (GCMG) in the [2023 Birthday Honours](/source/2023_Birthday_Honours) for services to national security and British foreign policy.[10] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Sir Simon Gass appointed as new Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies"](https://www.da.mod.uk/news/sir-simon-gass-appointed-as-new-commandant-royal-college-of-defence-studies). *Defence Academy of the United Kingdom*. Retrieved 13 February 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Sir Simon Gass"](https://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-gass). *gov.uk*. Cabinet Office. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Joint Intelligence Committee Chair appointed: Sir Simon Gass"](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-intelligence-committee-chair-appointed-sir-simon-gass). *gov.uk*. Retrieved 18 June 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Joint Intelligence Committee Chair appointed: Madeleine Alessandri CMG"](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-intelligence-committee-chair-appointed-madeleine-alessandri-cmg). *gov.uk*. UK Cabinet Office. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023. The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Madeleine Alessandri CMG as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and head of the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO). Madeleine will replace Simon Gass who is stepping down after four years in the role. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-test_5-0)** [Britain's Ambassador sends angry Tweet ...](http://www.metro.co.uk/news/837969-britains-ambassador-to-tehran-sends-angry-tweet-in-diplomatic-iran-row), Metro Online, 13 August 2010 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Iranian politicians call for UK ambassador recall](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11980421), BBC News, 13 December 2010 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [NATO Secretary General appoints new Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan](http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_70513.htm), 9 February 2011 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Simon Gass](https://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-gass), gov.uk 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["No. 59647"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59647/supplement/3). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 3. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["No. 64082"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/64082/supplement/B3). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B3. ## External links - [Gov.uk profile](https://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-gass) - [British Embassy in Tehran](http://www.ukiniran.fco.gov.uk) - [UK in Iran Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/ukiniran) - [Article by Simon Gass: International Human Rights Day](https://web.archive.org/web/20101211042831/http://ukiniran.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=357050682), British Embassy Tehran, 10 December 2010, via archive.org Diplomatic posts Preceded by Sir David Madden British Ambassador to Greece 2004–2009 Succeeded by David Landsman Preceded by Sir Geoffrey Adams British Ambassador to Iran 2009–2011 Succeeded by Dominick Chilcott Military offices Preceded by Sir Tom Phillips Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies 2018–2019 Succeeded by John Kingwell Government offices Preceded by Charles Farr Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee Succeeded by Madeleine Alessandri --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simon Gass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Gass) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Gass?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.