IRIA News

Iran and Sweden conducted a prisoner swap deal, facilitated by Oman. This exchange involved the release of a former Iranian official in return for a European Union diplomat, marking a potential step towards easing the tense relations between the two nations.

The prisoner swap was mediated by Oman, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement. “Omani efforts resulted in the two sides agreeing on a mutual release, as those released were transferred from Tehran and Stockholm,” it said. The prisoners were transferred from Tehran and Stockholm to Muscat before being returned to their respective countries.

Kazem Gharibabadi, the Iranian judiciary’s foreign relations chief, announced on social media that Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian prison official sentenced in Sweden to life imprisonment for war crimes and murder related to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, has been released.

“This is a significant step in rectifying a historical injustice and showcasing the resilience of diplomatic negotiations,” Gharibabadi stated.

The footage shows the moment when Hamid Nouri arrived in Iran – he was illegally imprisoned by the Swedish government for 5 years. pic.twitter.com/KgU2VkEfub

— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) June 15, 2024

On the other side, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed the release of Johan Floderus, a 33-year-old European Union diplomat who had been detained in Iran for over two years. Floderus, a Swedish national, was visiting Iran on a private trip in the spring of 2022. On April 17, 2022, as he was preparing to depart from Tehran airport, Floderus was detained for his involvement in espionage.

“Iran used them both as pawns in a cynical negotiations game with the purpose of getting the Iranian citizen Hamid Noury released from prison in Sweden. He is convicted of serious crimes committed in Iran in the 1980s,” Kristersson said.

“As prime minister, I have a special responsibility for Swedish citizens’ safety. The government has therefore worked intensively on the issue, together with the Swedish security services which have negotiated with Iran.”

Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi have been released after being imprisoned without reason by Iran.

The Swedish government has worked intensively for them to be released.

Today, they will land on Swedish soil and be reunited with their families and loved ones.…

— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) June 15, 2024

Alongside Floderus, Iranian-Swedish citizen Saeed Azizi was also released. Azizi was imprisoned under national security-related accusations. “We welcome Johan and Saeed back home and are relieved that their ordeal has finally ended,” Kristersson remarked.

Sweden-Iran diplomatic strain

The swap comes after a long period of strained diplomatic relations between Iran and Sweden, primarily due to the controversial case of Hamid Nouri. The 66-year-old Iranian citizen was arrested at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport in 2019 and faced humanitarian rights violation charges related to the mass execution and torture of political prisoners in 1988 at Iran’s infamous Gohardasht Prison.

The victims were primarily members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a political-militant organization that sought to overthrow Iran’s clerical regime. MEK was also involved in bombings during the 1980s and supported Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War. The group was designated as a terrorist organization by Iran.

The trial and conviction of Nouri in Sweden was seen closely by Iran and heavily influenced by MEK, which now operates from Sweden. Iran accused MEK leadership of manipulating the narrative of the case to serve its interests. In a statement following the verdict on Nouri’s case, Iranian officials condemned the trial as politically motivated and lacking impartiality. Despite these tensions, the successful negotiation for Nouri’s release indicates a willingness on both sides to engage in pragmatic diplomacy.