Sweden has taken openly hostile approach toward Iran, says official

Secretary of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi has censured the unfair trial and continued detention of former Iranian official Hamid Nouri in Sweden, stating that the Scandinavian nation has adopted a hostile approach with regard to national security issues against Tehran.

“The Swedish government, with support of some other European countries particularly the British government, has certainly sought the prosecution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Over the past few years, Sweden has pursued a hostile approach concerning national security issues against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Gharibabadi said in exclusive interview with state-run IRIB Ofogh television network broadcast on Monday evening.

The senior Iranian judiciary official noted that Sweden has long hosted anti-Iran terrorist groups.

“The attitude of the Iranian people was not negative towards Swedes. Swedish operatives, just like certain countries that follow an openly hostile against Iran, would not disclose many aspects of their actions against Iran’s national security, probably as to continue their anti-Iran actions easily and with no trouble,” he said.

Gharibabadi said Sweden has for years drafted anti-Iran resolutions at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC); however it ceded the role to Britain and two or three other countries once Nouri's trial began.

Sweden, he said, has been the main stronghold of the SMLA terrorist group, where its ringleader Habib Farajollah Chaab – also known as Habib Asyud - was based there, and the Swedish secret service provided him and his comrades with tremendous support.

“Even when Habib Asyud was arrested at Iran Interpol's request in one of the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf region, the Swedes intervened immediately and returned him to Sweden on a private flight.”

Sweden has also been home to members of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), Gharibabadi added.

“Why does Sweden claim to be an advocate of human rights, fight against terrorism and a world of peace, security and stability, while it is hosting terrorist groups? he questioned.

“At whose behest has Nouri’s trial been launched? Sweden was supposed to prosecute the MKO for its crimes against the Iranian nation; but has instead filed a lawsuit on their part” in the ongoing case, the Iranian official said.

“I believe that Sweden has used both Nouri’s case and support for the MKO terrorist group as an excuse to try the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Gharibabadi said.

The Iranian Judiciary and Foreign Ministry, the official said, have formed skilled teams to assist Nouri in the case, with legal advice being accorded to his family.

The charges against Nouri stem from accusations leveled against him by MKO members.

He was arrested upon arrival in Sweden at Stockholm Airport in 2019 and was immediately imprisoned. Nouri, now 61, has been held in solitary confinement for over two years and his family has not been allowed to visit him in prison.

His accusers allege that Nouri was involved in the execution and torture of MKO members in 1988. Nouri vehemently rejects the allegations.

Jalali's death sentence to be carried out 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Gharibabadi said Iranian national Ahmad Reza Jalali has been found guilty of espionage for Mossad and has confessed to spying for Israel and involvement in the murder of Iranian nuclear scientists.

Iran’s Judiciary spokesman Zabihullah Khodaeian also said on Tuesday that Jalali’s death sentence will be carried out, emphasizing that Tehran will not exchange him with Nouri.

Jalali has been “sentenced to death and the verdict is final and will be carried out,” Khodaeian reiterated.

Jalali, a resident of Sweden, was arrested in 2016 while visiting Iran. Based on his confession, he was convicted of spying for Mossad and complicity in assassination of Iranian scientists.

Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in December 2017.

In late February 2018, Stockholm confirmed that Jalali had been granted Swedish citizenship.

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