Iran and Sweden are in the midst of a diplomatic crisis after Iranian state media reported on the Islamic Republic's intentions of executing dual Swedish-Iranian citizen Ahmad Reza Djalali for allegedly aiding Israeli efforts to harm Iranian nuclear scientists.
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According to an Iranian Student News Agency report, Djalali, 50, will be executed on May 21 for allegedly spying for Israel until his arrest in 2016.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde and the EU sharply condemned the planned execution.
On Twitter, Linde wrote: "Extremely worrying media reports today that Iran may enforce the death penalty on Swedish citizen Ahmadreza Djalali. Sweden and EU condemn the death penalty and demands that Djalali be released. We have repeatedly stated this to Iranian representatives. We are in contact with Iran."
While Djalali's trial concluded in 2017, the process has stalled due to, among other things, pressure from humanitarian organizations claiming his confession was obtained by force. Djalali himself published a letter alleging he had been tortured and that his family in Sweden would be harmed if he did not admit to the crime. Djalali believes he has been targeted by Iranian authorities for his refusal to use his ties to European institutions to spy for Iran.
Extremely worrying media reports today that Iran may enforce the death penalty on Swedish citizen Ahmadreza Djalali. 🇸🇪 and 🇪🇺 condemn the death penalty and demands that Djalali be released. We have repeatedly stated this to Iranian representatives. We are in contact with Iran.
— Ann Linde (@AnnLinde) May 4, 2022
In his confession, Djalali, who is being held at the infamous Evin Prison, admitted to allegedly relaying classified information on Iranian nuclear scientists so that Israel could harm them.
The announcement of Djalali's pending execution appears aimed at swaying the outcome of the trial of Iranian Hamid Nouri, who was arrested in Sweden in 2019. Nouri is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Iran-Iraq War for his role in the systematic killing of prisoners. While a ruling is expected in July, Nouri's trial concluded this week. Iran began to act against Sweden, including by summoning Sweden's ambassador to Iran for a dressing down, immediately after the trial came to an end.
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