Imam Ali Mosque in Stockholm Designated as Iranian Government Spy Base
Sweden designated the “Imam Ali” mosque in Stockholm as a spy base for the Iranian government.
The Swedish government, while cutting its financial aid to the Imam Ali mosque in Stockholm, referred to this center as a spy base for intelligence operatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Swedish government issued a statement declaring: “This Islamic-Shiite center has been a haven for intelligence officials of the Islamic Republic who, in addition to spying on Iranian expatriates, have also conducted espionage on the activities of the Swedish government.” The Swedish Minister of Social Affairs, while noting that the Iranian government used the Imam Ali Islamic Center as its main intelligence operations base in Sweden, stated: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has established an extensive network of various Islamic centers in European countries, and these centers, like the Imam Ali mosque in Stockholm, conduct similar espionage activities throughout Europe. The German government also shut down the Hamburg Islamic Center last year as a center of espionage for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, the Swedish government, while cutting financial aid to this center, has also adopted additional measures against it.”
The Imam Ali Islamic Center, while denying the accusation and responding to it, wrote on its website: “This institution is an independent organization with no connection to political parties or governments. This center conducts strict oversight to ensure that its premises are not used as a platform for criminal activities.”
The Swedish government also stated: “Financial resources of this country should no longer be used for activities and measures that contradict fundamental democratic values.”
Following the closure of the Imam Ali Islamic Center in Stockholm and the arrest of its director, the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Tehran in protest and stated: “The Swedish government did not observe diplomatic channels in its action.”
It is worth noting that Stockholm authorities had accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of conducting cyberattacks against Sweden last September.
