The European Union and Sweden on Wednesday condemned the execution of a Swedish citizen in Iran.
"The execution of a Swedish citizen by the Iranian regime is a brutal act of senseless violence and we condemn it," EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said in a statement.
Kallas said that the Swedish citizen had been held in captivity since June 2025.
"The European Union continues to call on Iran to halt all executions and to abolish capital punishment," Kallas said. "The appalling human rights situation in Iran and the alarming increase in executions are intolerable and show the regime's true colours."
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard confirmed that a Swedish citizen was executed in Iran earlier on Wednesday, joining the EU in condemning the execution.
"It is clear to us that the legal proceedings that resulted in the Swedish citizen being executed have not been legally certain," Stenergard continued. "Responsibility for this lies wholly with Iran."
Neither Kallas nor Stenergard named the individual, though the Swedish minister said they had "relatives in Sweden and in Iran."
The Oslo-based human rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) cited state media as saying that the individual was a dual national accused of "intelligence cooperation and espionage in favour of the Israeli government."
The individual was reportedly arrested in northern Iran during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June.
Tehran has detained numerous people suspected of spying for Israel since the war in June. According to IHRNGO, the Swedish national is the third person to be hanged on espionage charges so far this year.
Human rights groups have long criticized Iran for its heavy use of the death penalty, saying it is often employed to suppress dissent. According to the United Nations, more than 1,000 people were executed in the country last year.
