Brigadier General Esmail Qaani — the head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, which is responsible for Iranian operations abroad — speaks during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 14, 2022. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Sweden’s government on Monday accused a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Stockholm of being a platform for Iranian spying against Sweden and the Iranian diaspora.

Sweden’s Minister for Social Affairs said on X that the Swedish Security Service assessed that the Imam Ali Islamic Center in Stockholm was used by Iran as a platform to spy and conduct activities threatening security.

“This is extremely serious,” Jakob Forssmed said, and added that Sweden had stopped all state monetary aid to the center. He added, without elaborating, that “an additional process” was under way.

“State funds should not be used for activities that conflict with fundamental democratic values,” he said.

The mosque could not be immediately reached for comment.

In a statement on its website, the Imam Ali Islamic Center said it was an independent organization without any links to political parties or states.

“IAC maintains strict oversight to ensure that our premises are not used as a platform for any criminal activity,” it said, denying claims that it had received money from foreign states.

Iran‘s official news agency IRNA reported on Monday that Iran had called Sweden’s ambassador in Tehran on Sunday to protest at the detention of the head of the Islamic Center in Stockholm.

“Diplomatic regulations were not respected in his case, he was not allowed to see his family members or Iranian diplomats, which begs questions and to which we express our objection,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, according to IRNA.

Sweden’s Foreign Ministry could not immediately comment on the case or confirm that a person had been detained.