Sweden Continues Vigilance Over Detained Citizens In Iran

Swedish EU employee Johan Floderus during a court session in Tehran, Iran
Swedish EU employee Johan Floderus during a court session in Tehran, Iran

The Swedish ministry of foreign affairs has reiterated its commitment to closely monitor the cases of Johan Floderus and Ahmadreza Jalali, two citizens currently imprisoned in Iran.

In response to inquiries from Iran International, the ministry said consular efforts to assess their conditions remain ongoing, with intensified scrutiny.

Swedish citizens have been advised to exercise caution and refrain from traveling to Iran given the risk of arbitrary detention.

Additionally, the ministry announced that temporary caretakers are overseeing the responsibilities of the charge d'affaires at both the Swedish Embassy in Tehran and the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm.

Relations between Iran and Sweden have become increasingly strained in recent years, particularly following the detention, trial, and conviction of Hamid Nouri, a former judicial official of the Islamic Republic, on charges related to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran.

Since legal proceedings began against Nouri in Sweden, Tehran has retaliated against Stockholm, leading to the detention of several Swedish nationals in Iran.

Johan Floderus, a Swedish citizen and European Union diplomat, has been held since April 2022 on allegations of "gathering information for Israel under covert projects." His detention is viewed by political and human rights activists as an attempt to pressure the Swedish government regarding Nouri's release.

Ahmadreza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish physician and researcher, was arrested in 2016 on charges of "espionage." Despite denying the accusations, he was sentenced to death by Abolghassem Salavati, a judge of the Revolutionary Court, with the sentence upheld by the Supreme Court.

Recent reports indicate that two additional Swedish nationals have been detained by Iranian security authorities in recent months.

The Islamic Republic's practice of arbitrarily detaining foreign nationals or dual citizens underscores its pressure tactics on Western countries to meet its demands.