Iran Accuses Swedish-Iranian Citizen of Spying

The Swedish Foreign Ministry verified that one of its citizens is being held in Iran. Tehran claims this individual is on trial for spying for Israel.

Swedish officials are not saying much, mentioning privacy and ongoing diplomatic talks. However, Iranian judicial spokesperson Asgar Jahangir shared details, some of which seemed to clash, about the case. Jahangir said the suspect has dual citizenship, was hired by Israel in 2023, and had electronic spying devices when caught after going to Israel.

Conflicting Dates

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) made the arrest, seemingly linked to the tensions around the conflict in June that lasted 12 days. But, the arrest date is unclear. Judicial sources say the suspect came to Iran a month before that conflict. On the other hand, officials in Alborz province said the arrest happened on June 16, during the conflict.

Worries About Hostage Diplomacy

This case is happening as many people are being arrested – around 21,000 during June's conflict. Also, several people said to be working for Mossad have recently been killed. Groups such as Human Rights Watch have criticized these actions. They call Iran's treatment of dual citizens hostage diplomacy.

Iran does not recognize dual nationality. They see these people only as Iranian, which means they often don't get help from their home country's embassy or a fair trial. Many think this detention is part of Iran's plan to stop internal threats and have more power in talks with other countries.