Iran–Sweden relations

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Iran–Sweden relations
Map indicating locations of Iran and Sweden

Iran
Sweden

Iran–Sweden relations are foreign relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sweden.

History[]

In 1911, the Swedish government was asked by the Persians if soldiers could be sent to Persia to organize the construction of a gendarmerie in Persia. In the same year, the first Swedish officers came to the country. This became the Iranian Gendarmerie, commanded by Swedish officers between 1911 and 1921. The first Swedish officers traveled to Persia in 1911 and during the period 1911-1915 a total of about sixty Swedes worked in the country. The police force was equipped by Swedish police. When World War I broke out, the Swedes were accused of cooperating with Germany, which resulted in the officers and police having to leave Persia.[1]

Sweden and Iran established diplomatic relations in connection with the conclusion of a treaty of friendship in 1929.[2] Iran operates an embassy in Stockholm and Sweden operates an embassy in Tehran.

In November 1934, the Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Crown Princess Margaret, Princess Ingrid and Prince Bertil visited Iran. At the border, they were received by a representative of the Persian government and in Tehran by the Foreign Minister and the Grand Master of the Ceremonies, as well as representatives of the government agencies. The Crown Prince's family went in a procession to the castle, where the shah for the Crown Prince represented the council president and others. Reza Shah then accompanied the Crown Prince to the Golestan Palace. After several days in the Persian capital, the Crown Prince left for the Mazandaran Province to study for three days the ongoing construction work for the Trans-Iranian Railway. He then returned to Tehran to say goodbye to the Shah. The Crown Prince's family then left on 17 November in Volvo cars for Isfahan and Persepolis. In the latter place, the royals lived in the so-called Xerxes' harem and visited the city under the leadership of Professor Ernst Herzfeld. An excursion was made to Shiraz. On 25 November the return journey to Baghdad began over the snowy passes along the Kum-Sultanabad-Kermanshah road.[3]

Government level[]

In February 2017, Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven and minister of trade Ann Linde along with representatives from government agencies and companies visited Iran and met with several Iranian ministers. Linde was criticized for wearing the Islamic veil during the trip.[4]

Academic partnerships[]

In the late 2010s and into 2020, a number of Swedish academic universities and institutions pursue partnerships and exchange programs with institutions in Iran, also after Swedish-Iranian researcher Ahmad Reza Jalali had been given the death penalty by Iranian authorities in October 2017.[5][6] These academic institutions were:[6]

Nuclear program[]

Bildt and Javad Zarif, foreign minister of Iran, 2 February 2014

The Chairman of the Swedish parliament's Foreign Policy Commission said in 2008 that Iran has a right to civilian nuclear technology. He also supported diplomatic means to find a solution to the issue that acceptable to both sides.[7] In 2007, Christofer Gyllenstierna, Swedish Ambassador to Iran, claimed that, because traders and businessmen ultimately make investment decisions in Sweden, economic sanctions will not affect Sweden's trade with Iran.[8] In February 2009, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Austria and Sweden opposed a list of additional stricter sanctions proposed by the EU3 against the Islamic Republic.[9]

In July 2009, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt insisted that dialogue is the only solution to the Iranian nuclear situation, saying that the European parliament faced difficult choices when world powers restarted talks with Tehran to halt Iranian uranium enrichment in exchange for political and economic incentives.[10]

Economic relationship[]

Christofer Gyllenstierna, Sweden's Ambassador to Iran, said at a symposium in Tehran in 2007 that Sweden has potential markets in Iran. He also said that Iran's capabilities and possibilities have attracted the attention of Swedish businesses. He claimed Sweden planned on increasing mutual trade cooperation with Iran.[8] In 2003, Sweden and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU), in which Sweden recommended Iran be given membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and, in turn, Sweden would implement industrial, mining, and telecommunication projects inside Iran.[11] Since the UN Security Council and the European Union began imposing stricter sanctions, however, Swedish–Iranian bilateral trade has declined. Bilateral trade between the two reached only $500 million in 2007.[12] However Swedish companies such as Stockholm Chartering AB have been reported to have found innovative means to skirt EU sanctions on Iran.[13]

Sports[]

On 31 March 2015, the first friendly football match was played between the Swedish national team and the Iranian national team at the Friends Arena.[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Karlsson, Sandra (2006-05-21). "Svenska män i solens och lejonets land – en fallstudie av svensk orientalism i Persien 1911-1925" [Swedish men in the land of the sun and the lion - a case study of Swedish orientalism in Persia 1911-1925] (PDF) (in Swedish). Södertörn University. pp. 3, 12. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Om oss" [About us] (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Tehran. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  3. ^ Kjellberg, H.E., ed. (1934). Svenska Dagbladets årsbok (Händelserna 1934) [Svenska Dagbladet's yearbook (Events of 1934)] (in Swedish). 12. Stockholm: Svenska Dagbladet. p. 76. SELIBR 283647.
  4. ^ Radio, Sveriges. "Sveriges minister får kritik för att hon hade slöja på sig i Iran - Radio Sweden på lätt svenska". sverigesradio.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  5. ^ Radio, Sveriges. "Mälardalens högskola fortsatte samarbetet i Iran efter dödsdom - P4 Sörmland". sverigesradio.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  6. ^ a b Youcefi, Fouad; Silver, Henrik; Catomeris, Christian (2020-12-15). "Svenska lärosäten på rekryteringsresa till Iran – strax efter dödsdomen mot Djalali". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  7. ^ “Sweden Reiterates Iran's N. Rights” Fars News Agency, 8 May 2008.
  8. ^ a b “Sweden Envoy: Iran, A Good Market For Swedish Investment”, IRNA, 1 May 2007.
  9. ^ Dinmore, Guy, Najmeh Bozorgmehr, and Alex Barker, “EU Trio Targets Tougher Iran Sanctions,” Financial Times, 25 February 2009.
  10. ^ “Bildt: EU faces ‘difficult choices’ on Iran’ The Local, 9 July 2009.
  11. ^ “Iran, Sweden Sign Memorandum of Understanding”, IRNA, 16 December 2003.
  12. ^ "Links have changed please update them". Imfstatistics.org. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Watchdog Says Swedish Shipping Company Skirting Iran Sanctions". Freebeacon.com. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Internationals (Sky Sports)". SkySports.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

External links[]

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