Sweden and Iran exchange prisoners in breakthrough deal, say officials

Stockholm has freed former Iranian official Hamid Noury, convicted for role in mass execution of political prisoners in the 1980s, while Tehran has released two Swedes

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People in Stockholm, Sweden, celebrate the guilty verdict of Iranian Hamid Noury in December. Convicted of being involved in a mass execution of Iranian political prisoners, he is due back in Iran soon, following a prisoner swap. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:56pm, 15 Jun 2024Updated: 1:07pm, 18 Jun 2024

Sweden and Iran carried out a prisoner exchange on Saturday, officials said, with Sweden freeing a former Iranian official convicted for his role in a mass execution in the 1980s while Iran released two Swedes being held there.

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.

Sweden had freed convicted former Iranian official Hamid Noury, Iran’s top human rights official said on X. Noury, who had been convicted for his part in a mass execution of political prisoners in Iran in 1988, would be back in Iran in a few hours, the official added.

Separately, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement that Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi who had been detained in Iran were on a plane back to Sweden.

“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.”