Sweden has accused a Shia mosque in Stockholm of serving as a platform for Iranian espionage against the country and the Iranian diaspora. Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed said on social media that the Swedish Security Service had assessed the Imam Ali Islamic Centre as being used by Iran for intelligence activities threatening national security.
“This is extremely serious,” added Forssmed, pointing out that Sweden had halted all state funding to the centre. “State funds should not be used for activities that conflict with fundamental democratic values.” He also noted that “an additional process” was under way but did not elaborate.
The mosque has denied the allegations, stating on its website that it is an independent organisation with no political or state affiliations. “IAC maintains strict oversight to ensure that our premises are not used as a platform for any criminal activity,” it said, refuting claims of receiving foreign state funding.
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Meanwhile, Iranian cleric Mohsen Hakimollahi, the mosque’s imam, was arrested nearly two weeks ago and faces deportation from Sweden, according to Swedish media. Expressen reported that he has been held in a Swedish Migration Board detention centre.
Yesterday, in an open letter to Forssmed, the IAC said that the “decision appears to have been made despite the Security Service confirming that Hakimollahi is neither suspected of any crimes nor the subject of any criminal investigation.” The centre called on the government to ensure that Hakimollahi’s case is reviewed and handled with full legal certainty.
The imam of the #Iran-regime linked Imam Ali Islamic Center in #Sweden, has been arrested and will soon be deported. This is a trend across Europe, with Germany closing IZH and deporting its head following @UANI providing evidence of radicalization.https://t.co/WVmaIz3YWm
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) January 31, 2025
Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported that Tehran had summoned Sweden’s ambassador to protest against the imam’s detention. “Diplomatic regulations were not respected in his case, he was not allowed to see his family members or Iranian diplomats, which begs questions and to which we express our objection,” said an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Sweden’s Foreign Ministry has not commented on the matter or confirmed the arrest. The Imam Ali Islamic Centre, the largest Shia institution in Northern Europe, has yet to release an official statement on the detention of its leader.
In a similar controversy, London’s Islamic Centre of England has also faced scrutiny over its ties to the Islamic Republic. In May 2023, the UK Charity Commission appointed an interim manager due to governance concerns, leading to the centre’s temporary closure. The centre has since reopened after addressing insurance issues, but the inquiry remains ongoing.
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