Sweden Claims Iran Uses Islamic Center in Stockholm for Espionage

The Swedish government claims that the Islamic Republic of Iran is using the "Imam Ali" Islamic Center in Stockholm for espionage and intelligence activities. This comes as the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador in Tehran in response to the arrest of Mohsen Hakim-Elahi, the center's imam. Jacob Forsmed, Sweden's Minister of Social Services, wrote on social media platform X that an assessment by SAPO, the Swedish Security Service, indicates that Iran is using the Imam Ali Islamic Center as a platform for intelligence operations and security threats against Sweden and Iranians abroad. He emphasized that "this is a very serious matter" and added that the Swedish government has halted all state financial assistance to this mosque. The right-wing Swedish government minister then stated without providing details: "Public funds should not be used for activities that contradict the fundamental values of a democratic society." Reuters attempted to contact the Islamic Center in Stockholm for comments but was unsuccessful. However, the Imam Ali Islamic Center issued a statement on its website claiming to be an independent organization with no ties to political parties or governments. The center also denied allegations of receiving funds from foreign governments and emphasized that it has "strict oversight to ensure that its premises are not used as a platform for any criminal activities." In the first official reaction from the Iranian government to the arrest of Mohsen Hakim-Elahi in Sweden, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the Swedish ambassador had "presented himself" at the ministry regarding this matter. The Swedish newspaper Expressen reported last week that Mohsen Hakim-Elahi, a 63-year-old cleric representing the Islamic Republic and serving as the imam of the Imam Ali Islamic Center in Sweden, was "arrested by the Swedish Security Service at night some time ago and will soon be expelled from the country." According to documents from the Swedish Migration Agency, the Swedish government has revoked Hakim-Elahi's residency, and the agency decided on January 30 to expel him. The arrest of this individual linked to the Islamic Republic by the Swedish Security Police was also confirmed by Alireza Akhoundi, an Iranian-born member of the Swedish parliament. Ismail Baqai, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, suggested on Monday, February 15, in response to Sweden's actions, that "it seems that some decisions are influenced by third parties who do not wish for the good of Iran and Sweden." Baqai stated without elaboration: "Yesterday, the Swedish ambassador presented himself at the Foreign Ministry, and we clearly expressed our concerns to him." The Expressen newspaper quoted a spokesperson for the Swedish Security Service stating that "there is no ongoing criminal investigation against Mr. Hakim-Elahi," but added: "We in the Swedish Security Service have the legal authority to act based on regulations aimed at preventing threats to Sweden's security. In this context, we have the right to detain an individual who does not hold Swedish citizenship until the process of expulsion is completed." There has been no news regarding the continuation or cessation of activities at the Islamic Center in Stockholm following the arrest of its director. The German government has closed the "Islamic Center" in Hamburg. However, the so-called Islamic centers funded by the Islamic Republic of Iran in European countries, especially Germany, have long attracted the attention of European governments, and some of these centers have been closed in recent years. For instance, in August of this year, the German Ministry of the Interior announced that it had banned the "Islamic Center Hamburg" and its affiliated institutions due to their adherence to radical Islamist objectives. Mohammad-Hadi Moftah, the head of the Islamic Center Hamburg and a direct representative of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic at this center, was expelled from Germany in November 2022 during the peak of nationwide protests in Iran.