Response to interpellations 2022/23:8 and 16 on the situation in Iran

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Mr. Speaker! [He] has asked me if I intend to summon Iran's ambassador to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, he asks if I intend to work for increased targeted sanctions against those responsible in the Iranian regime and for those responsible to be held accountable for their crimes against human rights. Finally, he wonders if I intend to terminate the agreements signed between Sweden and Iran in 2017. Alireza Akhondi has asked me what I and the government intend to do to make the voices of Swedish-Iranians heard, how we will ensure that the Iranian regime is held accountable for Iran's crimes against humanity, and if the government intends to change the country descriptions that form the basis for the assessment of enforcement obstacles in deportations.

I share Håkan Svennelling's and Alireza Akhondi's concern regarding the developments in Iran and the very serious situation for human rights in the country. The government strongly condemns the Iranian authorities' violence against peaceful demonstrators. Sweden and other EU countries have expressed clear support for the Iranians and especially the women who are now peacefully demonstrating for their human rights. This has been conveyed in public statements as well as in direct contacts with Iranian representatives.

UD has frequent contacts with the Iranian ambassador as a number of issues are raised, including the ongoing developments in Iran.

On 17 October, the EU decided on targeted sanctions against persons who bear responsibility for the violence against protesters. Together with the rest of the EU, we are continuously reviewing the tools available to counter Iran's actions. Discussions are currently ongoing regarding the possibility of introducing additional sanction listings, due to the continued brutally violent handling of the demonstrations. Sweden is actively pushing forward in this process.

The EU has also clearly expressed demands in its statements on the situation in Iran for accountability and for a credible investigation into the death of Mahsa Jina Amini and the deadly violence against protesters. In the UN General Assembly, the annual resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran is now being discussed. Sweden participates actively in this through the EU and works for clear wording regarding the recent events. The EU is also active in the issue within the UN Human Rights Council. Discussions are currently ongoing on what can be done within the framework of the Council in light of the critical situation in Iran.

The five agreements concluded between Sweden and Iran in 2017 are not legally binding agreements but joint declarations of intent regarding an ambition to develop cooperation in various areas, so-called memoranda of understanding. Among other things, they concerned road transport, research and higher education, and strengthening women's empowerment. The agreements are handled on the Swedish side by the relevant departments, not by UD.

I can however state that very limited actual cooperation has taken place within the framework of these agreements, not least due to the negative developments in Iran. In light of the current situation, it is also not relevant to work towards new collaborations of this type being further developed.

It may be worth noting that some activity has taken place in the area of working to strengthen women's empowerment in Iran, including through programs led by the Swedish Institute, but this too has unfortunately stalled.

Finally, the question of the basis for assessing obstacles to enforcement in the application of decisions on deportation. The Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for the assessment of whether obstacles to enforcement exist in accordance with the Aliens Act. All cases shall be investigated as their nature requires, which means that updated information on what is happening in the applicant's home country may need to be obtained. The Swedish Migration Agency has its own country information unit and can use a multitude of different national and international sources and is in no way bound by information or assessments from the UD.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! I have interpellated the new Foreign Minister Tobias Billström regarding Sweden's Iran policy, in light of the popular protests against the regime following its brutal murder of the young woman Jina Mahsa Amini.

Sweden has an Iran policy that for far too long has been both lax and silent regarding the regime's recurring violations of human rights and oppression of its own people, especially its minorities. Sweden has for far too long placed a trust that increased trade would also lead to increased moderate governance in Iran. This trust must come to an end, and it is good if we can begin with that today in the Swedish Riksdag.

For those of you watching this debate on TV, I must say what is obvious to those of us here in the chamber: It is rarely that an interpellation debate in the Swedish Riksdag on a cold and rainy Tuesday evening in November attracts so much interest and listeners. All the people who are here tonight demonstrate the great popular engagement that exists in Sweden for us politicians to listen and change Sweden's Iran policy.

Now, Foreign Minister, the responsibility is yours. It is not enough to utter slogans like "jin, jiyan, azadi!" - it must be followed by political action.

I have submitted four questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs ahead of today's interpellation debate. The first concerns summoning Iran's ambassador to Sweden and condemning the regime's violence and killings. When one uses the term "summon," it usually means that the ambassador meets either the Minister for Foreign Affairs or his Cabinet Secretary to mark the political weight of the issue.

Mr. Speaker! The Foreign Minister gives an unclear answer today, where he tries to wiggle out and make it sound as if Sweden has a clearer line towards Iran than what has actually occurred. That is not sufficient.

My second question concerns expanding the targeted sanctions against those responsible in the Iranian regime. Sweden has, through the EU and the UN, had sanctions against Iran for a long time. Unfortunately, these have often only hit the Iranian people hard, not its regime. A month ago, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the EU Committee had discussions about the introduction of new sanctions. The then S-government conveyed that the new sanctions would be tough and send a clear signal.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this was not true. The sanctions on October 17 only covered eight individuals and three organizations. When more than 14,000 have been arrested and hundreds, yes, perhaps thousands, have been killed by the regime in the popular protests, this is not to introduce sanctions against those responsible.

My third question concerned impunity for those behind the violence and the killing. We cannot let the murderers get away with it. There is a possibility for countries like Sweden to investigate and prosecute crimes regardless of where they are committed. That possibility we must use. Even today's atrocities shall one day be punished.

My fourth and final question concerned the agreement that the former Foreign Minister Ann Linde signed when she and the then Prime Minister Löfven traveled to Iran in February 2017. I also asked the Foreign Minister about this in connection with the Riksdag's question time two weeks ago.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs notes in his response that the actual cooperation in the agreements is currently small. But the political significance of the agreements should not be underestimated. They were signed at a time when the government at that time signaled an increased rapprochement and cooperation with the regime in Iran. Today, just as the women in Iran cut their hair, cutting the agreements with Iran would be a clear political signal to the regime that Sweden's Iran policy is now changing and that the mullahs' violence and killing have consequences.

Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Foreign Affairs faces a choice. Saying slogans such as "jin, jiyan, azadi!" also requires political action. Today, the Swedish Parliament wants to see this action.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alireza Akhondi (C)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer to my interpellation, Tobias Billström! I do not know if the Minister passed the long queue that snaked along Drottninggatan all the way to Fredsgatan when the Minister was on his way here. Please look up at the gallery! Does the Minister see that it is full in the gallery here on a Tuesday evening? Does the Minister see the expectant looks of the audience? Does the Minister understand why these people are here tonight?

They are here because they want to be the voice for Mona Naghibi, 8 years old; Setareh Tajik, 17 years old; Nika Shakarami, 16 years old; Asra Panahi, 15 years old; Sarina Esmaeilzadeh 16 years old; Parmis Hamnava, 14 years old; Sadis Kashani, 14 years old; Sadag Movahedi, 17 years old; Sarina Saedi, 16 years old and Arnika Ghaem, 17 years old - some of the heroes of freedom, young women who in recent weeks have fallen victim to the Islamist murderer regime in Iran.

What was their crime then? What did they die for, the Minister of State surely wonders? A piece of cloth. The symbol of the 43-year-long oppression they have had to endure, an oppression so deeply rooted that it cannot be described in a fair way. Oppression of minorities – Kurds and Baluchis in particular – and oppression of other religious orientations, of homosexuals, of dissenters, but above all of women. For 43 years, the hope for change has been lit and extinguished, lit and extinguished. Promise after promise of improvement and change, the dream of a different future has taken root but been uprooted time and again.

The Iranian people deserve better than this. Over 14,000 arrested, over 300 dead and thousands injured are confirmed. The real figures are with great probability much larger. Yesterday, the Islamist Iranian parliament voted to issue death sentences against all demonstrators - a massacre right before our eyes. If nothing is done, that is.

Therefore, the Minister's non-committal answer to my and the questions of over 100,000 members of the large Iranian diaspora is not enough. Millions of people now demand action from the Foreign Minister in Sweden, from the European Union, from the entire democratic community of countries in the world. No more substance-less condemnations or political platitudes to then return to business as usual.

Now, someone might possibly object with the argument that Iran is far away. Why should the Swedish government be particularly involved in that issue? It is a reasonable argument if one does not understand how the world is interconnected.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard, that is, those who murder their own people, are currently training Russian forces in Ukraine. They have provided the tyrant Putin with so-called suicide bombers. It is a war that is harvesting the lives of thousands of innocent Ukrainians. The Iranian issue, therefore, is not only connected to Iran and Ukraine, but it is connected to the war in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon as well as the attacks against Israel by Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups. All of them bear the traces of the Islamist regime in Iran.

Germany has already taken the lead. Other countries are on their way. Come on now, Tobias Billström. Start with the simple thing, namely to declare the Iranian ambassador in Sweden persona non grata. Call home our ambassador in Iran for consultations. The consular activities are not interrupted by this, but the symbolism is strong.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lawen Redar (S)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking members Håkan Svenneling, Vänsterpartiet, and Alireza Akhondi, Centerpartiet, for the initiative for today's interpellation debate and for the opportunity to participate today, where we actually stand in agreement in trying to get the Foreign Minister to act for the people in Iran.

It has now been 43 years of dictatorial and Islamist iron grip over people's lives in Iran. The cup has run over, and the catalyst is Jina Mahsa Amini's well-known fate. A young 22-year-old woman who was met with such brutality by the morality police in Tehran that she was ultimately murdered for showing a little hair.

Not a day goes by without me reading and seeing the posts being spread on social media, the kilometer-long folk protests, strikes and closed shops, students in school who throw off their veils and point fingers at the regime's representatives. Images are spread of the military's excessive violence, shootings, imprisonments, tortured bodies and dead bodies. Amnesty states that over 14,000 people have been imprisoned since the protests began, and of those who have been murdered, at least 50 are children.

In this post, I want to convey to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the protests in Iran must succeed not only for democracy, not only for human rights and a historical end to the era of the Iranian ayatollah regime, but the protests in Iran must succeed because they also have implications for our security - for Sweden's security.

When Khamenei, Putin and Erdogan met in Tehran at the end of July this year, the parties agreed to strengthen relations politically and economically in the long term. Khamenei expressed at the meeting that if Russia had not taken the initiative for the war in Ukraine, the NATO countries would not have started the war. This is the Iranian regime's narrative.

Khamenei and Putin agreed at the meeting to remove the American dollar from the bilateral trade between the countries, furthermore to develop Iran's oil and gas fields through a memorandum of understanding of 40 billion dollars, which counteracts the sanctions imposed by the rest of the world against Russia. Right now, everything, as has also been stated here previously, indicates that the Iranian regime supplies Russia with drones in the war against Ukraine, which has prompted EU sanctions against Iran.

Therefore, I also wonder if the Minister for Foreign Affairs will summon the Iranian ambassador and convey the condemnations and criticism. Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs act to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for crimes against human rights? Finally, I wonder if the Minister for Foreign Affairs views the Iranian regime as a security threat to the EU and Europe and, not least in this context, also for Sweden.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Nika Shakarami, Hananeh Kia, Ghazaleh Chelavi, Minu Majidi and Mehsa Mogoi. These are just a few of the women who have taken to the streets in solidarity with Jina Mahsa Amini in protest against the regime's oppression and with hope for a freer life. These are names that are now being mourned by loved ones due to the Iranian regime's brutal oppression.

We see a great commitment all around the world and also in Sweden, largely driven by Swedish citizens with roots in Iran. These are people who carry Iran's history with them and who themselves have been subjected to, or have family members who are being subjected to, the brutal abuses of the Islamist regime in this moment.

Mr. Speaker! For Miljöpartiet, it is a self-evident part of feminist foreign policy to stand up for and show solidarity with the people protesting in Iran. At the EU level, Miljöpartiet members in the Greens group have worked to unite the European Parliament behind a strong resolution demanding that the regime in Iran immediately stop the state-sanctioned violence against its own population and release all those who have been arrested in connection with the protests.

Human rights activists around the world testify to the hope they derive from young schoolgirls who give the supreme leader the finger with their lives at stake. It is women today who lead the protests and who continue to dare to lead the protests even when their sisters are murdered. They are leading a feminist revolution.

Mr. Speaker! The Moderate-led government and its coalition partners like to disparage feminist foreign policy by calling it symbol politics. It depends on how one uses it. For the Green Party, feminist foreign policy is a commitment that binds. In this decisive moment in Iran's history, Sweden must use foreign policy to put even more pressure on the Iranian regime. The uprising against oppression driven by women and girls in Iran requires that Sweden, the EU, and the rest of the world respond and actively support the resistance movement against the mullahs.

Mr. Speaker! In addition to the excellent questions that Håkan Svenneling and Alireza Akhondi have asked, I wonder the following. Does the Minister intend to support, at the ministerial council next week, the extended sanctions that, among others, Germany has worked out against individuals and organizations behind the violence against the population in Iran? Does the Minister intend to work to ensure that the EU puts pressure on the Iranian regime to release all thousands of prisoners who have been arrested and risk being executed? Does the Minister intend to work to ensure that the EU places the Islamic Revolutionary Guard on the EU's terror list? Does the government intend to act more forcefully against the Iranian agents who persecute and threaten Swedish citizens? Does the Minister intend to work to ensure that the EU actively acts for the distribution and establishment of communication channels for those affected by internet shutdowns in Iran? Does the Minister intend to act so that the UN appoints an independent investigation to hold these MR-criminals accountable?

It is high time for Sweden to update its Iran policy.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kadir Kasirga (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the interpellants for raising this important issue.

Soon, two months will have passed since Jina Mahsa Amini was murdered by the morality police for not covering her hair according to the hijab rules. So far, over 300 people have been murdered by the Islamist regime. But despite that, the protests continue with an unshakeable determination to free themselves from the dictatorship.

The regime has massacred thousands of people, and alarming information is coming from reliable sources stating that the regime tortures, rapes, and kills the prisoners. Most recently, a well-known Iranian-Kurdish artist, Saman Yasin, has been sentenced to death because of a song he made in support of the ongoing demonstrations.

This regime, the Islamist regime, has held Iranians in its terror since 1979. It passed its best-before date a long time ago. The people in Iran deserve to live in a society built on equality and freedom. They deserve the world's support and Sweden's support in action. Therefore, I believe the Foreign Minister should act more forcefully by summoning the Iranian ambassador to the ministry and clarifying Sweden's views and its dissatisfaction, as well as declaring the Iranian military attaché persona non grata.

Mr. Speaker! Despite the difficult conditions that Iranian society is suffering, the Islamist regime in Iran continues to export its ideology in the Middle East. We see with concern how the mullah regime is aggressively advancing its positions militarily and politically in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and on the Arabian Peninsula. Now they are beginning to export killer drones to Russia to help them occupy Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker! It is becoming increasingly clear that these ambitions affect the Iranian citizens both economically and politically. More and more reports from inside Iran describe that the Islamist regime is in a crisis. The protesters in the streets need action from the international community - from Sweden, from the EU, from the UN.

Sweden as a country has historically been skilled at working with accountability for various crimes against humanity. There is already a war criminal imprisoned here in Sweden, Hamid Noury, so we have been good.

I believe that the Swedish government should act offensively and play an important role in holding these murderers, those who murder protesters on the streets of Iran, accountable. That opportunity should be used. Sweden's government should show that Sweden stands up for democracy, freedom, and the equal value of all people and mean business when saying: "jin, jiyan, azadi!"

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Markus Wiechel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Almost five years ago, in January 2018, I stood here – that time to press our then Foreign Minister Margot Wallström on what the government was doing, or rather not doing, in support of the Iranian people.

The origin of this debate was the enormous protests we saw in Iran which began on December 28, 2017. Already then, the crowds in Iran chanted: Down with the dictatorship! Down with Khamenei!

The Social Democrats' foreign policy has long been characterized by a lack of any own initiatives. They have hidden behind international organizations or institutions, for example the EU. They have acted late or not acted at all.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we have a new Minister for Foreign Affairs who will hopefully take action on this.

Oh, Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the protests we see now are significantly more extensive than those we saw then. The fact is that the protests we see now are the largest ever since the revolution in 1979. The brave Iranian people are now out on the streets, where they are prepared to sacrifice absolutely everything - life, health, property and much more - just to show that they want freedom and that they have the right to receive the fundamental values that we in the Western world see as self-evident. Women are burning their veils or shouting slogans against the regime. These brave people deserve our complete support - politically, diplomatically and, if possible, economically. And it is now that it matters.

Against this background, I was not alone in being disappointed by the answer that Foreign Minister Tobias Billström gave during the question period last week. I and many with me wondered what he would do to show that this government, unlike the previous one, clearly stands on the side of the Iranian people. I am convinced of the Foreign Minister's goodwill and ambitions, but that does not change the fact that the only thing he seemed to refer to then was that the EU circle should be united. That is not enough. Unity, especially in these types of issues, is good. But it is not enough to merely expect that heavy decisions will be made from the EU side.

What I wonder is whether the Foreign Minister himself takes initiative in any of the international forums he participates in so that we actually act jointly with other countries. Is it the case that one can, for example, take the initiative to impose sharp sanctions against the mullahs and against their family members who today live luxury lives in the West with their blood money? One might even take the initiative to break diplomatic relations with this oppressive regime, which is illegitimate, or to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.

We have heard frightening reports that Iran today may simply begin mass executions of political prisoners. We are talking about thousands of people. It must not go that far.

Like many of the listeners here today, I hope that the Minister for Foreign Affairs chooses to answer these questions.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Arin Karapet (M)

Mr. Speaker, Foreign Minister Billström and honored citizens! My mother is one of those sitting up there in the stands. I myself am Swedish. My ethnicity is Armenian with roots 700 years back in Iran. It is the first time I have been able to see a spark of hope in my mother's eyes.

Mr. Speaker! I have never lived in Iran. I have traveled there twelve times. My father wanted me to learn Persian - Armenian is my mother tongue - so that I would not lose contact and ties. I grew up with very many Iranians. There are differences and similarities. Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis, Persians, Gilaks etcetera - Iran is a multicultural country. But since 1979, the Islamic Republic has dug its claws into its people.

What we see up there in the stands is the result of the Islamic Republic's oppression. There are many of us who are here in Sweden, who have given ourselves a sanctuary where we can express ourselves and dress how we want and where our women - our mothers, our daughters - are equal to us men and where we do not make any difference. But in Iran, it is the opposite.

The Iranian people have had enough. It is not only the women who have risen up. It is the daughters and granddaughters of my mother's generation who have said that enough is enough. But it is also their sons who have stood by them and said: Enough is enough! No more!

But here in Sweden, Mr. Speaker, the Islamic Republic has been able to bypass the sanctions by sending money via diplomatic mail to the Imam Ali cultural center, which is a mosque. If two Iranians want to travel to Iran as a married couple legally, they must register their marriage there. If they are to divorce and the divorce is to be valid in Iran, they must go to the mosque. This is bypassed. It is called a fine cultural association. There are employees at the cultural center who have diplomatic passports. It is used for espionage and for persecution. It propagates non-secular living conditions, that is to say, the total opposite of what Sweden stands for.

My question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is therefore: Can the Minister for Foreign Affairs provide information as to whether the government, through UD or any other department, has plans to prevent Imam Ali culture center from receiving grants from the Islamic Republic?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Rashid Farivar (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to my colleagues in Centerpartiet and Vänsterpartiet for raising the issue of Iran tonight! I must begin by congratulating Foreign Minister Tobias Billström on his new assignment and wishing him good luck.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard, IRGC, is an Iranian military organization founded by Ruhollah Khomeini in the beginning of 1979, directly after the Islamist revolution. The goal of the guard during the 70s and 80s was to act as an Islamist army to guard the revolution against domestic and foreign threats. Among the organizations that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard supports militarily, politically, and economically are Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and various Shia rebels in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard is the Iranian regime's main tool for spreading, participating in, financing and promoting terror, torture, murder, oppression and, in my eyes, terrorism, not only in Iran and against its own population as we see today but everywhere in the whole world. IRGC or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard was also responsible for the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane PS752 on January 8, 2020, which resulted in a tragedy where 176 innocent people lost their lives. Of those who died in this tragedy, ten people were Swedish citizens.

My question now is whether Foreign Minister Tobias Billström considers the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization or not. The answer is quite simple: yes or no.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Mr. Speaker! First and foremost, I would, of course, like to thank all the participants who have so far taken the floor in this debate. It is very pleasing that there is such commitment for the brave women and men, shall I say, who are out on the streets and demonstrating in Iran. It is very good that we here in the chamber so clearly take a stand for their cause.

When it comes to diplomacy, it is naturally most important in situations where we have difficult questions to solve - questions that require conversation and dialogue. Such is the situation with Iran.

It has become very clear in the debate here in the chamber this evening: Approximately 1 percent of Sweden's population has roots in Iran, and a large number of Swedish citizens also travel regularly to Iran. It is also well known that a number of Swedish citizens are being held in detention in Iran. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is working very actively with these cases. We are in close and continuous contact with representatives for Iran regarding the situation for the Swedes who are detained there.

Sweden has an interest in continued functioning diplomatic contacts with Iran. But the dialogue must be straightforward and clear, and we shall stand up for our values and our view on human rights. Sweden has therefore clearly expressed itself regarding Iran's brutal treatment of the peaceful protests, both publicly and in bilateral talks with Iranian representatives at various levels. This is something we will continue to do. UD has frequent contacts with the Iranian ambassador in Sweden where a number of issues are raised, including the ongoing developments in Iran and the Swedish view on these. Therefore, there shall be no doubt after tonight's debate here in the chamber.

From Sweden's side, we are always prepared to review and reassess bilateral relations in light of the developments. But I want, Mr. Speaker, to emphasize that it is crucial that the measures we take are meaningful and effective.

The situation for human rights in Iran has long been very serious, something that several of the participants in the debate have already touched upon. The EU therefore already introduced extensive sanctions in 2011 against Iranian actors who commit serious HR violations - sanctions that have now been expanded. In addition to the situation for women and girls, who have rightly come into international focus now, many of Iran's ethnic and religious minorities are also very vulnerable, which the EU and Sweden consistently highlight.

We also view with deep concern how journalists and media are particularly targeted and persecuted and how free speech is also restricted in Iran. The extensive restriction of the internet in the country, which was also touched upon here in the debate and which has been significantly intensified since the protests began, is very serious and also has consequences for the entire Iranian society.

Regarding Alireza Akhondi's question about asylum seekers from Iran, I, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, can only refer to the process we have in Sweden. It is the Swedish Migration Agency that is responsible for the assessment of whether there are obstacles to deportation in accordance with the Aliens Act. To assess the current situation in a country, the Swedish Migration Agency uses several different sources. The country descriptions that Alireza Akhondi mentions possibly refer to the MR reports that UD publishes and which are available on the government's website, but those reports do not claim to provide a complete picture of the situation for human rights in the country.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! Our new Foreign Minister has a bit of a "new-on-the-job" sign on his lapel today, even if it is invisible. He certainly has extensive political experience, especially from standing in this chamber and discussing politics, but foreign policy is still a new area for the Foreign Minister.

I think the Foreign Minister gives a good description of the situation in many ways and shows the seriousness of the situation. But he does not answer the question that the members of the Riksdag, and above all everyone sitting in the gallery, are asking here today: Where is the political marking from the Swedish government's side? When do you call up the Iranian ambassador and mark politically? There is a big difference between having an ongoing dialogue with the Iranian ambassador and marking politically by calling up and marking that one thinks the regime is doing wrong and condemning it.

I take an example. When it comes to Russia and the annexation of Crimea, even the social democratic transitional government did it. That was protested against. But this massive killing, with a parliament that in a political decision says they want to execute 14,000 people, we have not protested against yet. I hope that happens immediately, Tobias Billström.

I have asked about these agreements. It is about the fact that they might not have such a great function in practice, but they are an important political statement. To formally terminate them means that they do not apply.

One of the agreements is signed by the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and concerns Pardis Technology Park, an organization governed by the revolutionary guard and is part of the militia responsible for the violence, terror, and ongoing killing. It is also subject to sanctions from the EU. That agreement simply must be terminated.

Another agreement concerns strengthening women's rights. It is between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the then Vice President for Women and Family Affairs in Iran named Molaverdi.

The problem is that Molaverdi is now himself in prison, serving a 28-month sentence for his work promoting women's rights in Iran. It is a testament to how little the regime cares about women's rights.

Furthermore, Iran has a strong position in the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and several countries are now acting so that the country will be excluded from the Commission on the Status of Women. Here, Sweden can join that work and actually make a difference.

We also see the vulnerability of minorities, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs describes. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is not responsible for that, but deportations to Iran are still ongoing. Such decisions are being made.

Furthermore, one hides behind the EU. When the Foreign Minister was here and repeated his point over and over again during the Riksdag's question period two weeks ago, it was the EU that was in focus. But the Foreign Minister is to travel to Brussels now on Monday, and then Iran is not even on the agenda for the meeting of the foreign ministers. This issue, which obviously engages the Swedish Riksdag and the Swedish people to a very high extent, the EU leaders do not even take up on their agenda. The Foreign Minister must ensure this, if he is to hide behind the EU leaders.

Mr. Speaker! The Iranian parliament is in many ways an illegitimate parliament. Only men selected by religious leaders sit there, who are elected in elections that ordinary Iranians have boycotted. Against that background, it is not so strange that it is this parliament that has expressed that everyone who has been arrested during the processes should also be executed.

That a parliament makes such a decision is so outrageous that it is difficult to comprehend. But it is our task in this democratically elected parliament, the Swedish Riksdag, to raise our voices and take the chance to condemn the Iranian regime and make a political mark and make a difference for the Iranian people. It is our responsibility. We must take it.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

TALMANNEN

I would like to remind that disturbances in the form of applause are not permitted from the gallery. However, the members of the chamber are allowed to applaud.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alireza Akhondi (C)

Mr. Speaker! I am not satisfied with the Minister's evasive answer regarding what measures the government intends to take in the near future. An expulsion of the Iranian ambassador from Sweden does not de facto mean that one breaks diplomatic relations and closes all channels, but it is a clear political marker.

The Minister should, like we others, acknowledge that there is no longer any room for excuses. Many of us will demand accountability for the government's sluggishness. In barely two weeks, Tobias Billström will report here again to answer my questions regarding the six bilateral agreements, which are, moreover, binding under international law, and the five declarations of intent that the Swedish state currently has with Iran. To be continued.

I would, however, like to take the opportunity to raise the second part of my questions in the interpellation, which concerns the deportations of Iranian citizens who have been denied their work permit and asylum applications. Not a single day goes by without me receiving news of heartbreaking life stories that show how Swedish migration policy has failed. It is a failure that, with the October crash, or the Tidö Agreement, as Tobias Billström would prefer to call it, risks being exacerbated.

It is a lack of legal certainty in the processing of converter cases and technicalities that still, despite parliamentary decisions, occur in labor and migration cases, i.e., the so-called competence exclusions. These problems have led to the fact that today there are tens of thousands of people in our society who have ended up in limbo and can neither return to their countries nor be given the opportunity to be part of the legal society with the help of a work permit.

They are referred to unscrupulous employers who exploit them. The occurrence of suicide and mental illness is high in the group, and children who should be protected by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is today Swedish law, are faring poorly. Some of these migrants are from Iran. Some of them have been in Sweden for 10-15 years, and given the developments in Iran, they should now have their cases reopened. They should be covered by the paragraph on particularly compassionate circumstances, which we voted through in this chamber last summer.

I assume, however, that Tobias Billström, who unfortunately must obey Jimmie Åkesson's orders if he wants to remain as a minister, will not take any measures that address this issue. In that case, only one path remains, and that is the country descriptions that UD is responsible for. They must be updated so that Migrationsverket and ultimately the judiciary receive the greatest possible guidance in their assessments of execution obstacles or rather execution stops, which is a first step toward resolving this issue.

In his response to me, the Minister refers to data that the Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for. It is a way for the Minister to evade responsibility. Fine then, but the Minister must be fully aware that this avoidance of tackling difficult issues rarely pays off. Rather, it leads to new problems - problems that no sham proposals, such as a census, will ever be able to solve.

Therefore, I ask the Minister once more: Is Tobias Billström ready to take his responsibility for Sweden and for the people who have been affected by a deficient asylum system?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lawen Redar (S)

Mr. Speaker! I note that I am the only woman participating in this debate. I therefore want to express my absolute solidarity with the world's bravest women. They chant in the protests "zan, zendegi, azadi!", and in Kurdish they say "jin, jiyan, azadî!"

They fight in solidarity with all the minorities living and working in Iran to liberate the population from these despots. I believe in them, and I know that they will succeed. Therefore, it is incredibly important what the Foreign Minister and the Swedish Riksdag choose to do now.

In my previous post, I described Iran's collusion with Russia in the war in Ukraine. The Iranian regime's actions are therefore a matter of concern for European and Swedish security. That is my absolute conviction. There is, therefore, every reason to reassess and review the previously conducted Iran policy.

The former Foreign Minister Margot Wallström wrote in Svenska Dagbladet this weekend that times have changed and that the Western belief that Iran could be reformed through trade agreements, reduced sanctions, and critical dialogue has reached a dead end. The critical dialogue must be abandoned in favor of clear political pressure against the regime in Iran. Sweden, the EU, and the international community must therefore take swift action.

I want the Foreign Minister to know that there is support in the Swedish Riksdag if measures are taken. There is support for action. Almost all parties' representatives have participated in today's debate. There is, therefore, support for a different Iran policy.

My questions remain, but I hope that the Foreign Minister, after today's debate, will reassess his position, take note of the interpellators who have participated here today and intends to reconsider the Swedish Iran policy and push forward this process together with the EU leaders.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

TALMANNEN

I have great respect for the commitment, but it is not permitted to express opinions from the gallery in the form of applause or otherwise. However, the members are allowed to applaud.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Since the Minister for Foreign Affairs does not answer the questions of either the interpellants or the other questioners, there is actually no reason for me to take up the time of his, the Speaker's, or the other members'. I hope instead that the Minister for Foreign Affairs can return to the Riksdag when he has some foreign policy towards Iran worth presenting.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kadir Kasirga (S)

Mr. Speaker! How legitimate is this Islamic Republic which since 1979 has been ruled by a theocratic terrorist regime? The current president Ebrahim Raisi has been identified by Amnesty International as having been involved in deciding and ordering the executions of thousands of innocent people, including thousands of political prisoners in 1988. This can happen again when they now have deprived over 40,000 people of their liberty.

Raisis accomplice Hamid Noury is sitting in a Swedish prison today for crimes against human rights. It is therefore possible to hold these murderers accountable.

An important message to Foreign Minister Tobias Billström is that he has an opportunity to become historic by calling the Iranian ambassador to the ministry and informing the ambassador that this treatment of the protesters, our fellow human beings, is unacceptable. We stand by Jina's sisters in their struggle for justice, equality, and freedom.

It is also important that the Foreign Minister asks his German colleague how Germany has acted and perhaps follow their actions towards Iran.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Markus Wiechel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Let me begin by thanking not least Håkan Svenneling for this interpellation. I know that he, like me, has a genuine commitment to this. It is also good that Alireza Akhondi has started to become involved in these types of issues.

Many are now glued to social media and see what is happening. Others read about it in the newspapers. I believe that the vast majority in Sweden follow with interest, and to some extent horror, what the Islamist regime is doing.

The basis for today's Iran policy was laid by the Social Democrats. But the fact is that we have a new government. Therefore, many of us have a hope for a change where this government and the Foreign Minister clearly declare to the Iranian people that Sweden stands on the side of the Iranian people in the struggle against the mullahs' regime.

I therefore agree with what many others have said: Where is the diplomatic marking? I asked a number of questions, for example regarding sharp sanctions against the relatives of the mullahs who live luxury lives in the West. Unfortunately, I perceived no answer from the Foreign Minister.

What I really want to know is: Where is the diplomatic marking, and will the Foreign Minister take the initiative within the EU circle or other international bodies to clearly mark against the regime and clearly show that Sweden stands on the side of the Iranian people? Do this at least for Toomaj Salehi and all other political prisoners who risk execution.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Arin Karapet (M)

Mr. Speaker! It is fortunate that the Minister for Foreign Affairs is an experienced politician. One of the previous speakers said that foreign policy is new to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, but I say the opposite. With eight years as Minister for Migration, a member of the Council of Europe, and Vice Speaker, one has quite a lot of experience. I am therefore convinced that Minister for Foreign Affairs Billström will do an outstanding job.

Mr. Speaker! Sometimes one waves away the EU as something that is located somewhere out there. But the EU's unity regarding Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine has provided a common line. Now, it is a matter of agreeing on a common line against Iran.

Sweden is a small country but a large trading nation. However, it is not Sweden that sells Airbus, Boeing, or aircraft components. Yes, we sell trucks, but there are also German trucks. There are components and spare parts that they have been looking for for 43 years.

It is about finding a common line, a line that holds and puts pressure on the government.

Let me go back to my previous question. If this is not on the Foreign Minister's desk, perhaps it is on the Justice Minister's desk. But it is incredibly important that there is an interaction between the departments. Iran must not bypass the sanctions. They are banned from Swift. Iran must not operate against our secular society.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Rashid Farivar (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the comments.

Let me point out that today it is Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the USA that designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. It is a clear message that I welcome.

The answer I wished to receive from Foreign Minister Tobias Billström was quite simple, and therefore I repeat my question: Does the Foreign Minister consider the Islamic Revolutionary Guard to be a terrorist organization or not?

This could also be a reasonable question to our Prime Minister.

It is important to note that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard has a great responsibility for the deadly violence we see in Iran.

I understand if the Foreign Minister does not have an answer today, but I hope that we can get an answer at a later time.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Mr. Speaker! The Government is not under any illusions regarding Iran's actions regionally or internationally. I want to be clear about that in this debate. It is very serious that Iran has provided Russia with drones used in the war against Ukraine. On October 20, the EU decided on the first sanction listings of Iranian individuals and entities for this reason, and against the same background, the EU is expected to decide next week on the additional listing of more Iranian individuals and entities.

Let me underline this and also agree with what Arin Karapet pointed out: the EU is an extraordinarily effective platform if all 27 member states can be persuaded to say the same thing in such a matter that is so important and significant for all of us.

Regarding Iran, this state is also directly or indirectly involved in several of the Middle East's conflicts and thus also has a responsibility for the regional development. Iran needs to change its approach and do more to contribute to political solutions, including in Syria and in Yemen. We view with great concern the Iranian attacks that have occurred against Kurdish targets in Iraq, which threaten to undermine Iraq's stability and territorial sovereignty.

Iran's recurring threats and statements questioning the legitimacy of the State of Israel are unacceptable, and even here the EU has issued sharp condemnations of these.

Since I mentioned Arin Karapet, I shall specifically address him and say that the Swedish state obviously never accepts illegal activities conducted on our territory by other states. All such activities will obviously be investigated and prosecuted if they are detected.

I welcome today's discussion here in the chamber and thank everyone who has participated regardless of party. There is a great commitment to the situation in Iran, which is also reflected by the fact that many are now sitting in the gallery. This is completely natural given the very serious developments and also reflects the strong inter-people ties between Sweden and Iran.

The Government will continue to follow the developments in Iran closely. Together with other EU members and our international partners, we continue to consider all available tools and measures to influence Iran's actions and support the Iranian people's legitimate demands for human rights.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! It has been a special debate that I will remember for a long time to come. More members than usual have participated in the interpellation debate, and above all, there are very many spectators here tonight. That is something I truly take away from this debate.

Many of us know that few politicians are better than Foreign Minister Billström at repeating a point over and over again, but the argument does not become better just because one repeats it. It is many of us who are concerned that the Foreign Minister intends to pursue an overly Eurocentric and, above all, anti-feminist foreign policy that does not address issues such as the popular protests in Iran.

EU sanctions are good, but do not hide behind the EU, Tobias Billström! See to it that Sweden has its own Iran policy! And stop considering – you have been doing that for too long now. It is time to start acting against the Iranian regime. Then you can call the ambassador, you can ensure that the targeted sanctions against the mullahs and those within the regime who are responsible for the killings are expanded, and you can tear up the agreements with Iran to politically signal that the regime has no legitimacy.

They are killing their own people, but the people have risen up. It is time for the rest of the world to also rise up together with the Iranian people and make a difference here and now. The people in Iran cry "zan, zendegi, azadi!" over and over again. They say it with their lives at stake. It feels quite safe for me to stand here in Sweden's Riksdag and say those things, in relation to the young girls and boys who are taking power and trying to say it to their principals, religious leaders, and so on.

We must make a difference from Sweden. It is clear that Sweden's Riksdag wants to see action from the Swedish government. I hope that we see this now, immediately, from Tobias Billström.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alireza Akhondi (C)

Mr. Speaker! To begin with: A warm thank you to all the engaged listeners and colleagues and to everyone watching this broadcast online! To you, I want to say that this is not the end of the fight for freedom, but only the beginning.

The Islamist government in Iran has zero legitimacy, and we will do everything we can to ensure that it is replaced immediately. We will not betray the brave girls and boys who are fighting for freedom on the Iranian streets with their lives at stake.

To Markus Wiechel: A year ago, I submitted a motion to stop the financing of religious communities by foreign states. The motion passed through the Committee on the Constitution and then the Riksdag with full unanimity. The commitment to Iran and for human rights is not a new invention but something that has been there, but thank you for noticing it!

To Tobias Billström: Now that the chess pieces are set, what will be the Minister's next move? What does the Minister intend to do to tangibly pressure the murderous regime in Iran? To merely hide behind the need for a collective action by the EU is not only cowardly but an active choice to stand on the wrong side of history. Act! I also want to say a warm thank you to you for having answered the questions. We will see each other again in two weeks. The pressure will be kept up.

I want to conclude with the slogans that the brave girls use in Iran: "zan, zendegi, azadi!", "jin, jiyan, azadi!" - woman, life, freedom!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for a spirited debate here tonight, and I thank the interpellants for their interpellations and the opportunity for me to elaborate on the government's policy in this area.

There is only one thing that I would like to emphasize in my final words in this debate, and that is that I think there is a way or a tendency to undervalue the need for unity in the European Union when it comes to Iran. I want to emphasize that the EU has so far acted with very great unity. Sweden has contributed actively to this and intends to continue that line in the future. The EU has powerfully condemned Iran's actions in public statements, and we intend to continue to use the EU as a platform to influence Iran.

It was extremely important that the EU could make decisions on new targeted sanctions in October, and we naturally assume that the issue will be raised again in connection with the next Foreign Affairs Council. I can assure Håkan Svenneling in this debate that we, as said, will be proactive on this. If that is the case, I will push the issue just as clearly and distinctly as I have done in this interpellation debate in conversations, deliberations, and negotiations with my foreign minister colleagues in the European Union. Right now, the proposal for expanded sanction listings due to the ongoing violence is being discussed within the EU. This is, therefore, a concrete ongoing process.

I have also proposed that the situation be taken up again on the agenda at this month's meeting of the foreign ministers, which takes place on November 14. I and the government consider and assess that it is central to have continued strong, united EU action in this matter. I am, as I said, convinced that the issue will continue to be discussed, and that is good. The brave women and girls who fight for democracy on the streets in Iran deserve support even in this chamber.

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

TALMANNEN

I want to say to everyone who has come here tonight that even though I saw myself obliged to point out that one is not allowed to applaud in the gallery, I want to thank you for having come to the Swedish Riksdag tonight. The Swedish Riksdag is the core of Swedish democracy, and I am glad that you chose to take advantage of your right to come here and listen to this debate. Thank you for being here today!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)