Iran The demise of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Overseas Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian can present a chance to as soon as once more make calls for on the nation to launch the imprisoned Swedes, says Sweden’s former overseas minister Margot Wallström (S), after Sunday’s deadly helicopter accident.
Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Khamenei is the one who actually guidelines Iran. Subsequently, Sunday’s helicopter crash close to the border with Azerbaijan, the place the president, the overseas minister and 6 different folks died, is not going to imply any main political modifications within the nation. Former Overseas Minister Margot Wallström (S) thinks so.
– They at all times take pleasure on this. They ensure that there are sons or relations within the energy equipment who can rapidly take over, she tells Dagens Area.
President Ebrahim Raisi was presupposed to succeed the now 85-year-old supreme chief Ayatollah Khamenei. To honor the lifeless, Iran has instituted 5 days of nationwide mourning. The neighboring international locations of Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan have additionally introduced nationwide days of mourning.
On Monday night, there are reviews of Iranians mourning the fallen leaders. And if Iranians who celebrated that the chief of the nation’s hardline authorities, who met the 2022-2023 demonstrations with brutal violence, can now not do extra injury.
Imprisoned Swedes
Inside 50 days, Iran should maintain elections to elect a brand new president. Till then, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, who already spoke on the cellphone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, about strengthening the international locations’ relationship, in keeping with Reuters information company. Russia can even assist Iran examine the accident.
Many world leaders have despatched condolences and Palestinian Hamas thanks Iran for supporting them within the warfare in opposition to Israel.
The occasion can also be important from a Swedish perspective. Two Swedes are imprisoned in Iran. EU official Johan Floderus since 2022 and Swedish-Iranian physician Ahmadreza Djalali in 2016, each accused of espionage. Djalali has been sentenced to demise and the prosecutor is in search of the demise penalty for Floderus. Amnesty Worldwide believes that Floderus is “arbitrarily” imprisoned and that the trial in opposition to Djalali was primarily based on confessions he made beneath the affect of torture.
How can the demise of the president and the overseas minister have an effect on Sweden’s dealing with of the circumstances?
– It could possibly be a chance to as soon as once more make calls for, that Floderus specifically must be launched, says Margot Wallström.
Is it possible that the now lifeless overseas minister is somebody with whom the Swedish Ministry of Overseas Affairs or the embassy had some sort of dialogue concerning their affairs?
– He has definitely been a contact, however I do not know what function he has had, says Margot Wallström.
May it complicate the method if an individual who was a part of the dialogue disappears?
– If it’s a one that has been lively and has been a dependable interlocutor, then it may be essential. However I’ve no perception into that. It not often works that manner with Iran, it is vitally closed and troublesome, she says.
It has been reported that Iran wished to see a prisoner change, by which Sweden would launch the life-sentenced Iranian Hamid Nouri who was convicted by the Svea Court docket of Enchantment of getting participated in mass executions in Iran in 1988. The late president Ebrahim Raisi had a decisive function as prosecutor within the circumstances.
The EU has been focusing on Iran with powerful sanctions for a very long time. However EU overseas affairs chief Josep Borrell has made an announcement in regards to the accident the place he says that the Union sympathizes with the households of the victims and the folks of Iran.
Ought to the EU make any modifications in its coverage in the direction of Iran on this state of affairs?
– It is about branding the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist, that is the essential factor to make a distinction, says Margot Wallström.
