Sweden expels Iran embassy employee, citing security concerns

Stockholm says Iran-backed groups are plotting against ‘Jewish and Israeli interests’ in the country.

Sweden has expelled an Iranian embassy employee, saying the decision was made to protect Swedish interests and citizens [Vahid Salemi/AP]

Sweden has expelled an Iranian embassy employee and summoned the country’s ambassador, accusing Tehran of making threats against Jewish and Israeli interests in Sweden.

Sweden has asked an official at the Iranian embassy in Stockholm to leave the country over activities “not compatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”, which sets rules for how countries deal with each other’s diplomats.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the decision was taken to protect Swedish citizens and interests, without providing further details.

The country’s Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer later told state broadcaster SVT that the decision involved Iran’s alleged activities against “Jewish and Israeli interests”.

“We know that Iran, over a long period of time, has conducted activities that threaten security in and against Sweden, targeting both individuals who oppose the Iranian regime and various Jewish and Israeli interests in our country,” Strommer said, adding that Iran was “making use of criminal networks” to achieve its objectives.

“We can confirm that Iran continues to engage in activities that pose security threats in and against Sweden. This includes, among other things, attempts to use proxies, such as criminal networks, to carry out attacks or acts of violence,” Jonathan Svensson, spokesman for the Swedish Security Service, told AFP.

In 2024, the service accused Iran of recruiting criminal gang members to commit “acts of violence” against Israeli and other interests in Sweden.

Iran has denied the accusation.

In another incident in 2023, Sweden accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of hacking into a local SMS operator to send 15,000 text messages calling for retaliation after the Quran, Islam’s holy book, was burned during protests.

斯德哥尔摩方面称，伊朗支持的团体正在密谋反对该国的“犹太人和以色列人的利益”。

瑞典驱逐了一名伊朗大使馆雇员，称此举是为了保护瑞典的利益和公民。[Vahid Salemi/AP]

瑞典驱逐了一名伊朗大使馆雇员，并召见了伊朗大使，指责德黑兰对瑞典境内的犹太人和以色列人的利益构成威胁。

瑞典要求伊朗驻斯德哥尔摩大使馆的一名官员离境，理由是其活动“与《维也纳外交关系公约》不符”。该公约规定了各国如何对待彼此的外交官。

瑞典外交大臣玛丽亚·马尔默·施泰纳加德表示，做出这一决定是为了保护瑞典公民和利益，但她没有提供更多细节。

该国司法部长贡纳尔·斯特罗默后来告诉国家广播公司SVT，该决定涉及伊朗涉嫌针对“犹太人和以色列人的利益”的活动。

斯特罗默表示：“我们知道，伊朗长期以来一直在进行威胁瑞典境内外安全的活动，其目标既包括反对伊朗政权的个人，也包括我国境内的各种犹太人和以色列人的利益。”他还补充说，伊朗正在“利用犯罪网络”来实现其目标。

瑞典安全局发言人乔纳森·斯文森告诉法新社：“我们可以确认，伊朗继续从事对瑞典境内外构成安全威胁的活动。这其中包括企图利用代理人，例如犯罪网络，来实施袭击或暴力行为。”

2024年，该机构指控伊朗招募犯罪团伙成员在瑞典对以色列和其他利益实施“暴力行为”。

伊朗否认了这一指控。

在 2023 年的另一起事件中，瑞典指责伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队 (IRGC) 入侵当地一家短信运营商，发送了 15,000 条短信，呼吁在伊斯兰教圣书《古兰经》在抗议活动中被焚烧后进行报复。