Iran expels Swedish diplomat

Iran’s Foreign Ministry today summoned Swedish Ambassador Mathias Otterstedt to announce that a diplomat from this country will have to leave within 48 hours. The decision was made after Sweden made a similar move, requiring a diplomat working at the Iranian embassy in Stockholm to leave the European country.

Tehran called Stockholm’s accusations that “Iran interfered in Sweden’s security” baseless, strongly condemning the action of expelling the Iranian diplomat. Tehran asserted that the move violated international law and hindered the normal operations of the Iranian embassy.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also criticized Sweden for pursuing a “hostile policy” and “harbouring individuals and organizations opposing Iran”. This agency affirmed that it will take necessary measures to protect national rights and interests, including implementing the principle of reciprocity.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said the decision to expel the Iranian diplomat was made because of “actions inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”. Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard emphasized that this move is to protect Swedish interests and citizens.

“We know that Iran has long conducted activities that threaten Sweden’s security, targeting individuals opposed to Iran and the interests of Israel and Jews in our country,” said Attorney General Gunnar Strommer.

In Sweden, there are many Iranians living, including some from the exiled opposition.

Relations between the two countries have been tense in the past few years. Iran in March executed a dual Iranian-Swedish citizen accused of spying for Israel. Another dual Iranian-Swedish citizen, Ahmadreza Djalali, has been detained in Iran for more than 10 years. This person was convicted in 2017 of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

The Swedish Security Service has accused Iran of recruiting criminal gang members to carry out “acts of violence” against Israeli citizens and interests in Sweden, something Tehran has denied.

After the conflict broke out in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, a number of Israeli facilities in Sweden became targets of attack. In February 2024, Stockholm police recovered a grenade thrown into the grounds of the Israeli embassy in Sweden.