Iran Summons Swedish Envoy over Granting Citizenship to Spy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi announced that the ministry has summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Tehran after Stockholm granted citizenship to an Iranian national found guilty of espionage for the Israeli spy agency, Mossad.
“Following the Swedish government’s unconventional move to grant citizenship to Ahmad Reza Jalali, a security convict, the Swedish ambassador to Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry by the director-general for consular affairs on Monday,” Qassemi said.
He added that in the meeting with Helena Sangeland, the Islamic Republic lodged its “strong protest” over the Swedish government’s measure to naturalize an individual that had confessed to spying for Mossad and participate in the murder of Iranian scientists.
Qassemi further emphasized that the Swedish envoy was notified that according to the Islamic Republic’s regulations, Tehran does not accept the naturalization of the convict and still considers Jalali to be an Iranian national.
The spokesman further described the Stockholm government’s move as “unconventional, questionable, and unfriendly.”
Ahmad Reza Jalali was arrested in 2016 upon traveling to Iran. Based on his confession, he was convicted of spying for Mossad and complicity in murdering Iranian nuclear scientists.
Iran’s Supreme Court upheld Jalali's death sentence last December.
On Saturday, however, Stockholm confirmed that the Iranian had been granted Swedish citizenship.
