Matthew Gould

Matthew Gould was Britain’s Acting Ambassador in Iran, and Ambassador in Israel

Why the Ayatollahs might be harder to remove than Trump thinks

From our UK edition

According to the old Farsi proverb, if you want a peacock, you must suffer the hardships of travelling to India. In other words, be careful what you wish for. This is good Persian wisdom that Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu should remember before they declare job done and crown themselves the liberators of Iran. Most

Why Nigel Farage should go big on nature

From our UK edition

Dear Nigel Farage, We haven’t met, but I have a great idea for you. I head the Zoological Society of London. We’re a conservation charity, not party political but dedicated to protecting wildlife. You might approve – we’re a venerable national institution, 200 years old next year and still proud of our royal connections (though so is

Israel is going too far

From our UK edition

I have kept my silence on the Middle East for ten years. I left Israel in 2015, after five years as British ambassador, as the first Jew in the role. Since then, I have turned down every request to be a talking head. Neither the world nor my successors needed another ex-ambassador pundit. But I