Sweden-Iran Tensions Escalate as Allegations of Proxy Violence Mount

The Swedish temporary chargé d'affaires in Tehran was summoned by the Iranian foreign ministry on Saturday, accused of spreading "baseless and malicious accusations against Iran." 

Daniel Stenling, the head of counter intelligence at the Swedish Security Service, revealed at a news conference on Thursday that the plots are proxies for the Iranian government.

The groups have reportedly targeted Israeli interests and Iranian dissidents within Sweden. "The Security Service can now confirm that criminal networks in Sweden are proxies that Iran uses," Stenling stated, supported by news revealed by Israel's intelligence services Thursday of terror plots across Europe including Belgium and Sweden against Jewish and Israeli targets.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said, "It is deeply worrying that a foreign power, in this case Iran, should have used criminal networks to commit or instigate crimes in Sweden."

Iran has held Swedish EU diplomat Johan Floderus hostage since last year, part of its ongoing policy of diplomatic hostage taking, accusing him of espionage.