Mohsen Hakimollahi, a 63-year-old Iranian cleric and imam of the Imam Ali Islamic Center near Stockholm—the largest Shiite community in Northern Europe—has been arrested and is set to be deported from Sweden, according to reports.
Sources indicate that plainclothes officers apprehended Hakimollahi at his residence in the middle of the night approximately two weeks ago. Since then, he has been in detention at a Swedish immigration facility. Documents from the Swedish immigration office confirm that a deportation order for the cleric, who is affiliated with the Iranian regime, was issued on January 30.
Hakimollahi was sent to Sweden by Tehran in 2011 to lead the Imam Ali Islamic Center and had received permanent residency in Sweden in December 2017. However, Swedish authorities have now revoked his permit, paving the way for his deportation.
Despite the significance of the case, officials from the Imam Ali Islamic Center have refrained from commenting on the matter, claiming a lack of knowledge about his arrest and expulsion.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Wernstedt, a spokesman for the Swedish Security Service, stated that the agency had not conducted a judicial investigation into Hakimollahi. He declined to comment on the organization’s potential involvement in the cleric’s arrest and deportation but emphasized that the Swedish Security Service holds the authority to detain or deport foreign nationals deemed threats to national security.
This move comes amid broader European efforts to crack down on institutions linked to extremist activities. In September, German authorities shut down the Al-Salam Islamic Center in Brandenburg, near Berlin, citing its support for Hamas. Additionally, the head of the Hamburg Islamic Center was expelled from Germany due to alleged ties with extremist groups.
The arrest and impending deportation of Hakimollahi reflect Sweden’s tightening stance on individuals and organizations connected to foreign regimes that may pose security concerns.