Sweden charges Iraqi man for spying for Iran

A Swedish prosecutor says a 46-year-old Iraqi man has been charged with spying for Iran by gathering information on Iranian refugees in Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. Prosecutor Hans-Jorgen Hanstrom says the man, who was not identified, collected "personal information" about Iranian Arabs, known as Ahvazis, for Iran "under the cover of representing an Arabic online newspaper."

Hanstrom said Wednesday the man was active during a four-year period ending February 2019, and also allegedly infiltrated online forums for opposition supporters, and gathered login information for routers. Hanstrom added the man allegedly communicated with Iranian intelligence agents via the Internet or at personal meetings, including in Tehran. Iran's Persian-dominated government is often accused of discriminating against its ethnic Arab minority.

The accused man denies the offense.