Iran says Swedish citizen on trial over espionage during war with ‘Israel’

• Iranian judiciary confirms suspect holds Swedish citizenship.
• Case linked to the 12-day war with ‘Israel’.
• Verdict expected soon amid tougher espionage laws.

Iran’s judiciary said Tuesday that a dual national arrested during the recent 12-day war with ‘Israel’ and now standing trial on espionage charges holds Swedish citizenship.

Tehran has released limited information about the case, which is one of several arrests carried out during and after the conflict, when ‘Israel’ and later the United States carried out strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iranian authorities have since announced executions of several people convicted of collaborating with ‘Israel’s’ Mossad.

- Judiciary details espionage allegations -

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said the case was investigated in Alborz Province and involved a dual national who obtained Swedish citizenship in 2020.

“Recently, a case was investigated in Alborz Province regarding a dual-citizen spy. This person received Swedish citizenship in 2020 and has resided there since,” Jahangir said, according to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news agency.

“This person was identified and arrested on charges of spying for the Zionist regime during the 12-Day War,” he added.

Jahangir said the suspect was recruited in 2023 and met 'Israeli' agents in several European capitals. “This person was recruited by the Zionist regime’s services in 2023 and was able to meet in the capitals of six European countries with the (Israeli) agents and receive the necessary training,” he said, without disclosing the defendant’s name.

He added that the accused had traveled to ‘Israel’ several times, most recently two weeks before entering Iran.

- Arrest, confession, and pending verdict -

According to Jahangir, the suspect entered Iran a month before the war and stayed at a villa near Karaj, west of Tehran.

“He was carrying electronic spy equipment that was identified by the officers,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the accused has confessed to spying” for ‘Israel’.

He said a verdict in the case would be issued soon.

- War fallout and tougher penalties -

The 12-day conflict began on June 13 when ‘Israel’ launched strikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and residential sites. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks, and the United States later joined ‘Israel’ in targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. A ceasefire took effect on June 24.

During the war, Iranian authorities announced the arrest of several Europeans, including 19-year-old French-German cyclist Lennart Monterlos, who was later released. Other Europeans remain detained, including French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, held since May 2022.

In June 2024, Iran released two Swedish nationals in a prisoner swap involving former Iranian official Hamid Noury, who had been serving a life sentence in Sweden.

In October, Iran enacted legislation imposing harsher penalties for espionage, allowing for asset confiscation and the death penalty for those convicted of spying for ‘Israel’, the United States, or other parties deemed hostile.

Since the war, Tehran has pledged swift trials for suspected collaborators, announcing multiple arrests and the execution of at least nine people convicted on such charges. The conflict also halted indirect diplomacy between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program.