Sweden has summoned Iran’s ambassador after receiving unconfirmed information that a Swedish citizen detained in Iran on espionage charges may have been sentenced to death, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said on Friday.
“We have received information that the man has been sentenced to death at first instance, but these are unconfirmed reports,” Malmer Stenergard told a news conference.
She said Sweden’s foreign ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador on Wednesday to protest the reported sentence.
Sweden earlier confirmed that a person holding Swedish citizenship is imprisoned in Iran and accused of spying, saying its embassy in Tehran and the foreign ministry are in contact with the family and that the man has access to a lawyer. The ministry said it could not give further details for consular reasons.
Iran’s judiciary has said the case involves an Iranian-Swedish dual national accused of spying for Israel. Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said earlier this week the man was recruited by Israeli intelligence in 2023 and that a verdict would be issued soon.
He said the defendant, identified only as a Swedish citizen since 2020, had travelled to six European capitals for espionage training, made several trips to Israel and entered Iran about a month before the war in June, staying at a villa near Karaj.
Iran has carried out several executions in recent months over espionage convictions linked to Israel, drawing concern from international rights groups over due process.
