ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iranian foreign ministry on Thursday declared a diplomat in the Swedish Embassy in Tehran a persona non grata with orders to leave within 48 hours, a day after the Swedish government expelled an Iranian diplomat as a “countermeasure” against Iran’s activities in Stockholm.
Alireza Yousefi, Director General for Western Europe at the Iranian foreign ministry, summoned the Swedish Ambassador to convey Tehran’s “strong protest regarding Sweden’s destructive policies toward Tehran,” according to a statement from Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The diplomat was ordered to leave from the Swedish embassy in Tehran “within 48 hours” for “clear reasons explained to the ambassador,” the statement read, noting “vulgar rhetoric against Iran and its hosting of anti-Iranian … elements and groups.”
The development comes a day after Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard declared an official at the Iranian embassy in Sweden a persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country, citing “activities that are not compatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” according a statement relayed by Sweden's national public service broadcaster, Sveriges Television (SVT).
SVT later quoted Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer accusing Iran of executing “security-threatening activities in and against Sweden” for a “long time,” notably Tehran’s targeting of Iranian dissidents and “various Jewish and Israeli interests” in Sweden, which he claimed has been done “among other things, by utilizing criminal networks.”
In its Thursday’s statement, Tehran labeled Stockholm’s decision as “an unjustified move” founded on “baseless accusations” which “forced a diplomat working at the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy in Stockholm to leave Swedish territory without any valid reason.”
Tehran further stated that the deportation decision is “undoubtedly influenced” by Israel and “represents an effort to disrupt the normal operations” of the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm.
“It goes without saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran will take the necessary measures to safeguard its national rights and interests, including through reciprocal action,” the statement added.
The incident comes three months after 22 countries, including Sweden, in June accused Iran’s intelligence services and affiliated groups of targeting dissidents, journalists, and Jewish communities abroad, urging Tehran to immediately halt what they described as threats and attacks across Europe, North America and Australia.
“Attempts to kill, kidnap, harass, intimidate, or otherwise attack people on our soil, undermine national sovereignty and international norms. These actions must stop immediately,” the countries said in a joint statement.
The countries accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence organization and affiliated groups of "lethal plotting and other malign actions" against dissidents, journalists, and members of Jewish and Israeli communities.
The joint statement specifically condemned activities linked to the IRGC, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, and Quds Force. It also referenced attacks claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), a group that has emerged as a growing security concern in Europe.
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