The Iranian Embassy in Stockholm is urging Iranians living in Sweden to register their personal information on the embassy’s website in order to sacrifice their lives in martyr attacks for the Iranian regime. “These could be individuals who may be used in subversive operations in the West,” says terrorism researcher Magnus Ranstorp.
The Iranian Embassy in Stockholm is attempting to recruit exiled Iranians in Sweden to a martyrdom campaign in which participants are encouraged to “sacrifice their lives” for their homeland, according to TV4 News.
The campaign operates under the name “Jan fada”, which can be translated as “sacrifice your life”, and is directed at people who wish to “defend the homeland”. The embassy is urging “all beloved compatriots residing in Sweden” to join by registering their personal information on the consular website.
Illustration: Screenshot from the Iranian Embassy’s website.
Terrorism researcher Magnus Ranstorp describes the initiative as serious. According to Ranstorp, the campaign is part of a systematic effort by Iranian embassies to spread propaganda. He also believes that the registration process may be used to identify and map exiled Iranians who are loyal to the regime and willing to carry out assignments on its behalf.
– This is a mobilization of exiled Iranians who are loyal to the regime. A registry is also being created of individuals who may be willing to carry out various assignments, he told TV4.
– There are individuals here who could be sent back to Iran and who want to fight against the United States and Israel. But these could also potentially be individuals who may be used in subversive operations in the West, he continued.
According to Ranstorp, there is a risk that people who join the campaign could later be used for different kinds of operations, both in Iran and in Western countries. He connects the campaign to rising tensions in the Middle East and the Iranian regime’s need to mobilize support abroad.
According to reports, similar campaigns are also taking place in other countries. Britain is said to have summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign Office after the embassy published what were described as “unacceptable and inflammatory comments” on social media. Australian police are currently investigating a similar post from the Iranian embassy, since under Australian law it is considered a criminal offense to travel to a foreign country with the intention of “engaging in hostile activities”.
The embassy in Stockholm has previously expressed gratitude to everyone who had shown interest in “participating in jihad” against the United States and Israel, and who had donated financial support to the Iranian regime.
At the same time, the Iranian-funded Imam Ali Islamic Center in Jakobsberg outside Stockholm has for several years functioned as a well-known recruitment hub both for the Iranian regime and for Shiite Muslim extremism. Last year, imam Mohsen Hakimollahi was expelled after the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) concluded that Iran had used the congregation as a platform for conducting activities that threaten Sweden’s national security. The center has nevertheless continued its operations, including efforts aimed at recruiting young Afghans who arrived in Sweden during the 2015–2016 migration crisis.
Neither the Swedish Foreign Ministry nor Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard has responded to questions regarding Iran’s campaign. According to Säpo, however, Iran remains one of the countries conducting security-threatening activities against Sweden.