WANA (Dec 17) – Sweden’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the detention of a Swedish citizen in Iran but declined to provide details about the individual’s identity.
The confirmation came hours after Iran’s judiciary announced the arrest of an Iranian-Swedish dual national during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel.
In a statement, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said it, along with Sweden’s embassy in Tehran, is in contact with the detainee’s family and that the individual has legal representation.
“For reasons of consular confidentiality and to avoid hindering our work, we will not provide further details,” the ministry said.
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, Iranian judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said a verdict in the case of the dual national would be issued soon, without naming the suspect. He said the individual has been accused of spying for Israel’s intelligence services.
According to Jahangir, the suspect obtained Swedish citizenship in 2020 and had been residing in Sweden. He added that the individual entered Iran about a month before the outbreak of the 12-day war and was staying at a villa near Karaj, Alborz province. The arrest reportedly took place on the fourth day of the conflict, which began on June 13.
Last week, the head of the judiciary in Alborz province said the case was being reviewed by the Revolutionary Court in Karaj.
In the aftermath of the 12-day conflict, Iran has reported an increase in executions of individuals convicted of espionage for Israel. Among them was Babak Shahbazi, who was executed on Sept. 17 after being convicted on similar charges.