Iran FM urges Sweden immediate release of Hamid Nouri

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held a phone call on Friday with his Swedish counterpart, during which he urged the immediate release of Hamid Nouri, an Iranian national who has been incarcerated in Sweden over alleged human rights abuses, warning of the illegal detention's consequences on bilateral relations.

Amir-Abdollahian told the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Tobias Billstrom that the politicized case of Nouri and efforts by the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group to disrupt a legal probe into the case has seriously harmed the ties between Iran and Sweden.

"In recent years, some issues have [negatively] affected the relations between the two countries, which were mainly the result of negative moves and measures of a third party," the top Iranian diplomat said.

Read: Sweden's trial of ex-Iranian official 'unlawful, unfair'

In his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian added that Iran has always welcomed dialogue and cooperation with the European Union.

For his part, Billstrom expressed regret that Nouri's case has negatively impacted the two countries' ties and pledged to seriously pursue it.

He also called for Iran's cooperation in dealing with the cases of some Swedish nationals detained in Iran and emphasized that his country is resolute on expanding relations with Tehran.

During the telephone conversation, Amir-Abdollahian and Billstrom exchanged views on matters of common interests and international developments.

It is worth noting that in May, Iran's Secretay of the High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi described Sweden’s trial of former Iranian official Hamid Nouri as “unlawful and unfair."

Gharibabadi pointed out that "Nouri has been arrested based on false accusations and his detention is regarded as forced disappearance since his family was kept unaware of the arrest," reported the Iranian news agency.

The Iranian diplomat underscored that flagrant behavior against Nouri is in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, adding that "Sweden's failure to inform the Iranian embassy and Nouri’s family of his whereabouts are other examples of inhumane measures against him."

He also stressed that the Swedish government should be held accountable for medical negligence, torture, and the long solitary confinement of Nouri.