Iran summons Swedish envoy over ‘improper’ statements by officials
The Foreign Ministry says the Swedish government is in no position to question another country's legal institutions and defend a criminal.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Swedish ambassador in Tehran in protest against improper anti-Iran statements made by the country's officials.
Shahram Ghazizadeh, the head of the Third Western Europe Department lodged an official protest with Mathias Otterstedt over the baseless statements and interventionist stance of some officials, including the Swedish Minister of Education. Johan Pehrson called Iran a “rogue state” and a “sponsor of terrorism.”
According to the ministry's statement, Ghazizadeh conveyed to the Swedish envoy that such statements are contrary to international law and diplomatic norms and that the Swedish government is not in a position to question the performance of another country's legal institutions by defending a convict, whose crimes have been conclusively proven.
The official also requested an update on the case related to Niloofar Zare, an Iranian national who was recently assassinated in Sweden.
The Swedish ambassador stated that he would convey the matters to his respective government.
Last Friday, the Swedish Foreign Ministry had summoned the Iranian ambassador under the pretext of requesting the release of a Swedish-Iranian national imprisoned in Iran over spying charges.
The ministry claimed that the Iranian envoy was summoned over what it called “worrying signals” about the health of Ahmadreza Djalali who has been in jail since 2016 and sentenced to death.
According to AFP, the ministry demanded the release of Djalali so that he can join his family and get medical care.
In late January, DJalali had accused the Swedish government of not doing enough to secure his release.
In June last year, Tehran released two Swedes, Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi, in exchange for Iranian national Hamid Nouri who had been imprisoned in Sweden over human rights violations, a charge Iran descried as politically-motivated.
But DJalali, who has been given Swedish citizenship while in prison, was not on the exchange list.
