Iran expels Swedish diplomat after Sweden removes Iranian official: Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations cited

Iran expelled a Swedish diplomat on Thursday in response to Sweden’s expulsion of an Iranian embassy official, according to Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström stated that the expulsion of the Iranian official was due to violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR). The Iranian government described Sweden’s move as unjustified and accused Swedish authorities of hostile rhetoric and support for anti-Iranian groups. International law experts and the European Union have called for restraint and adherence to diplomatic norms.