Sweden confirmed on Wednesday that one of its citizens was detained in Iran, in a response to questions from Iran International, after Iran’s judiciary disclosed details of a case involving an Iranian-Swedish dual national accused of spying for Israel.
In a written response, Sweden’s foreign ministry said the embassy in Tehran and the ministry were in contact with the family and that the citizen had access to a lawyer, adding that no further details could be provided for consular reasons and to avoid disrupting the case.
Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said on Tuesday that the case was examined in Alborz province and heard by the second branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, and that a verdict would be issued soon.
“Based on reports and the defendant’s own confessions, he was recruited by the Israeli intelligence services in 2023,” Jahangir told reporters. He said the defendant, identified only as a Swedish citizen since 2020, later traveled to six European capitals to receive espionage training, made several trips to Israel and entered Iran about a month before the recent war, staying in a villa near Karaj. Jahangir said electronic surveillance equipment was discovered during the conflict and that the defendant had confessed to spying for Israel.
Iranian officials say the arrest forms part of a broader picture of alleged espionage uncovered during and after the war. Authorities have said more than 700 people were detained on suspicion of spying or cooperating with Israel following the conflict, which lasted 12 days and included US air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In November, the intelligence arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said it dismantled what it described as US-Israeli spy networks inside Iran. Parliament has also approved emergency legislation allowing espionage suspects to be prosecuted under wartime legal provisions.
Executions and international concern
Iran has carried out several executions in recent months over espionage convictions tied to Israel. The judiciary has said those executed were convicted of offenses including “enmity against God” and collaboration with hostile states.
The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran and international rights groups say at least a dozen people have been executed on espionage charges this year, many after the war. Rights groups have raised concern about due process, while Iranian authorities say the judiciary is acting in line with domestic law to protect national security.
