Sweden – Aftonbladet, Sept. 24, 2025
Commentator: Ahmadreza Djalali Risks Becoming a New Dawit Isaak
OPINION
Yesterday, our Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard presented to her counterpart from the Islamic Republic the demand that “Iran must immediately release Ahmadreza Djalali on humanitarian grounds” and that she “views it seriously that Iran has still not provided us with the requested information.”
She thus continues to speak of a release on “humanitarian grounds” to one of the most inhumane and brutal regimes in the world, instead of emphasizing that Ahmadreza is innocent of the false charges and should never have been imprisoned or sentenced to death in the first place. Saying she “views it seriously” that no information has been provided is, of course, polite — but this is a matter of whether Ahmadreza is alive or dead.
Today it has been 91 days since the last sign of life from Swedish citizen Ahmadreza Djalali. During the Israeli attack on Evin Prison on June 22 this year, Ahmadreza was taken away by the Islamic Republic’s security service to an unknown location.
Strangely, Saeed Azizi — who also held dual citizenship — was saved
Nine years and five months ago, the Karolinska Institute researcher was imprisoned while lecturing on disaster medicine at the University of Tehran, following an official invitation. Without any evidence being presented, Ahmadreza was sentenced to death a year later on the false charge of being an Israeli spy. Much indicates that the death sentence may now have been carried out. But the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Swedish government have still not been able to obtain any information from the Islamic Republic about the fate of this Swedish citizen.
Last summer, Ahmadreza was “left behind” during a prisoner exchange, when the Islamic regime’s executioner Hamid Noury was traded for the Swedish hostages Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi. The excuse was that the Islamic Republic does not recognize dual citizenship and did not want to negotiate over Ahmadreza. Strangely enough, Saeed Azizi — who also held dual citizenship — was saved. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s government simply accepted the Islamic Republic’s no and settled for bringing home EU official Floderus and businessman Azizi in exchange for Noury, whom Iran was extremely eager to have returned.
Ahmadreza risks becoming a new Dawit, whose fate we may never learn
There has been no “Plan B” to bring home the doctor and family man Djalali — and there still isn’t. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson must be pressed to at least pose a direct and open question to the Islamic Republic’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian:
WHERE IS AHMADREZA DJALALI? IS HE ALIVE?
Ulf Kristersson must also communicate what consequences a lack of response — or confirmation of Ahmadreza’s execution — will bring.
The issue of his release must be elevated to the highest level and presented as an ultimatum with consequences attached. This is not a “consular matter” to be solved through a discreet side conversation between two ministers who happen to be in New York for the UN for entirely different reasons.
