Sweden has ordered an official at the Iranian embassy in Stockholm to leave the country, accusing Tehran of engaging in activities incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The move was accompanied by the summoning of Iran’s ambassador for consultations.
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stated that the decision was driven by the need to protect Swedish citizens and national interests, though she declined to provide specific details regarding the allegations. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer later clarified that the expulsion was linked to Iran’s alleged targeting of Jewish and Israeli communities within Sweden.
“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. He added that Iranian authorities were utilizing criminal networks to further their objectives.
Jonathan Svensson, a spokesman for the Swedish Security Service (SAP), confirmed to AFP that Iran continues to pose a security threat, including attempts to recruit proxies such as criminal gangs to carry out violent acts. In 2024, the security service had already accused Iran of recruiting gang members to commit violence against Israeli and other targets, an allegation Tehran has consistently denied.
This development follows a 2023 incident in which Sweden accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of hacking into a local telecommunications operator. The breach resulted in the dispatch of approximately 15,000 text messages calling for retaliation following the burning of the Quran during protests.
Recruiting local gangs is a cheap, deniable tactic. This escalates from cyber ops to physical threats right in our neighborhoods. Scary.
Swedish officials are being oddly vague about the specific evidence. Transparency would help rebuild public trust in these serious allegations.