Iran is using criminal networks in Sweden

Iran has been carrying out security-threatening activities in and against Sweden for several years. Iran's security-threatening activities have in the past mainly targeted dissident groups and certain individuals in the Iranian diaspora. The Swedish Security Service assesses that Iran, as well as Russia and China, pose the greatest security threats to Sweden.

The security-threatening activities of the Iranian regime and its security services have also targeted representatives of other states, including Israel, that Iran regards as enemies of its regime. Such activities could be carried out with a view to harming Israeli and Jewish interests, targets, and activities in Sweden.

Iran has earlier carried out acts of violence in other European countries in order to silence criticism and what it regards as threats to its regime. In order to carry out these security-threatening activities, the Iranian regime has sometimes made use of criminal networks.

We can confirm that this is happening in Sweden as well. The Swedish Security Service has in the last few years handled several concrete cases in Sweden in which planned attacks, linked to the Iranian security services, have been thwarted. Some of these attacks have used criminal networks as proxies.

Our Service has taken measures and will, together with the Swedish Police Authority, continue to do so in order to prevent, avert, and reduce Iran’s possibilities to carry out security-threatening activities.

Sweden must not be used as a platform for security-threatening activities carried out by Iran or other states.