Iranian-Swedish Citizen Threatened By Regime Officials

An Iranian-Swedish citizen says he has been threatened by the Iranian authorities’ security forces over his involvement in anti-regime protests.

Saman Taherpour says that the threat, received in a phone call two weeks ago, came from an Iranian official who urged him to end his activism in support of the Women, Life, Freedom protests.

These protests, unprecedented and nationwide, erupted in Iran in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, who died in the custody of the regime’s so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab properly.

In the 17-minute-long phone call, excerpts of which have been disclosed, the security agent further alleges Taherpour's involvement in "leading" anti-regime protests in Sweden, accusing him of committing crimes “against Iran's national security”.

Prior to this call, Iranian officials reportedly also reached out to Taherpour's family in Iran and his next of kin in Sweden – informing them of alleged ongoing investigations against him.

Taherpour is the founder of Kiani Concept, a Sweden-based brand specializing in products like clothing, jewelry, and ornaments.

“We spoke to your father. The government’s position is that Iranians abroad should be treated with more tolerance but only if they express remorse and continue their activities within the framework that we set,” the security agent told Taherpour, further warning him that his actions in Sweden are being monitored.

Encountering Taherpour’s resistance and his expressed commitment to keep working against the regime, the agent threatened that he will come after Taherpour in Sweden and that “they will meet soon.”

When Taherpour resisted and declared his steadfast commitment to continue his activism against the regime, the agent issued a threat – stating his intention to come after Taherpour in Sweden, declaring that "they will meet soon."

In an interview with Iran International, Taherpour said the callers made it very clear to him that the Iranian regime has "forces" in Sweden, capable of exerting pressure or taking action against him.

According to Taherpour, the regime’s security agents were aware of the details of his whereabouts and those of his family members and close friends in Sweden.

After the threatening phone call, Taherpour contacted Sweden’s Security Service (SÄPO), which then launched a probe into the incident and asked him to adopt certain security measures.

SÄPO also told Taherpour that such threats are a frequent occurrence for Iranians living in Sweden.

According to reports, Iran’s security agencies have called a large number of Iranian residents in Sweden and threatened them not to participate in protests against the regime. In February, SÄPO maintained that Iran, Russia and China pose the largest security threats to Sweden.

This is not the first time Iranian citizens or dual-nationals in the Iranian diaspora have been threatened or attacked by purported security agencies of the regime in Tehran.

In February 2023, Guardian reported, via personal accounts from the Iranian diaspora, that the regime appears to be behind “a Europe-wide campaign of harassment, surveillance, kidnap plots and death threats” to target foreign-based political dissidents.

In January 2023, an audio file shared on social media revealed that an Iranian security agent, who introduced himself as an agent of the intelligence ministry, threatened "Massi Kamri”, an Iranian activist living in France – tell her that if she does not stop acting against the regime, they will imprison her parents and family members in Iran.

Using an insulting tone, the agent tells Kamri if she cares about her family and does not want them to be taken to the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, she should not engage in anti-Islamic Republic activities.

In December 2023, UK’s ITV revealed that the IRGC was plotting to assassinate two Iran International television anchors in London in 2022 amid Iranian anti-government protests.