Sweden Expels Iranian Embassy Staffer Over Security Threats

Sweden has ordered the expulsion of an employee from the Iranian embassy in Stockholm, citing activities inconsistent with diplomatic status. The Iranian ambassador to Sweden, Hojatollah Faghani, was summoned to the Swedish Foreign Ministry and informed of the decision, according to the Swedish government. The government stated the employee was asked to leave due to "activities inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." The identity and specific role of the individual were not disclosed, and Swedish authorities did not detail the exact actions that led to the expulsion.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stated the move was intended to protect Swedish citizens and interests. "To protect our citizens and other Swedish interests, the Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassador of Iran and announced that an employee at the Iranian embassy in Sweden is required to leave the country," she said. Swedish Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer linked the decision to broader Iranian activities in Sweden, asserting that "Iran has long been conducting activities that endanger security in Sweden and against Sweden."

Strömmer further elaborated that these activities targeted both opponents of the Iranian regime and "various Jewish and Israeli interests in our country," allegedly carried out partly through criminal networks. The Swedish Security Service (Säpo) confirmed that Iran continues to engage in activities threatening national security but declined to provide specific details regarding the expulsion. Säpo has previously warned that Iranian security services utilize criminal organizations in Sweden as proxies for violent actions against perceived enemies of the regime.

According to the security service, several attack plots linked to Iranian intelligence services, including those targeting Israeli and Jewish interests, have been thwarted in Sweden in recent years. However, authorities have not publicly stated that the expelled employee was directly responsible for the described threats or actions. The official reason for the expulsion remains a violation of diplomatic conduct rules, while the Justice Minister's remarks provided context regarding the alleged use of criminal networks and targeting of dissidents and Israeli/Jewish interests.