Tehran (Web Desk): Iran said on Saturday that it had arrested a Swedish citizen on espionage charges, the official IRNA news agency reported.
“The suspect had been under surveillance by the intelligence ministry during several previous trips to Iran because of (their) suspicious behaviour and contacts,” IRNA quoted the Iranian intelligence ministry statement as saying.
It did not give a name or say when the arrest was made, but added that the suspect had a history of going to the Palestinian territories, went to non-tourist destinations in Iran, and contacted people, including Europeans, under surveillance.
The intelligence ministry statement accused Sweden of “proxy spying” on behalf of Iran’s arch-foe Israel, which it said would draw a “proportional reaction” from Iran.
Sweden’s Foreign Ministry said it was aware of the case.
Iran has arrested dozens of foreigners and dual nationals in recent years, mostly on espionage and security-related accusations. Rights groups call that a tactic to win concessions from abroad by inventing charges, which Tehran denies.
