Diplomat Detained by Iran Since April 2022, European Union: We Will Not Rest Until Freed

Head of Foreign Policy for the EU Josep Borell. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Senior EU (EU) officials have confirmed that they will continue to seek to release their diplomats who have been detained for more than 500 days by Iranian authorities.

The 33-year-old male diplomat is an employee of the EU agency, EU Chief of Foreign Policy Josep Borell said.

Having the name Johan Floderus, the diplomat was arrested by Iranian authorities in April 2022 and detained in the EVin Prison located in the capital Tehran.

Details of this case were first revealed Monday by the New York Times, which reported that Floderus was a member of the European External Action Service (EEAS), a European Union diplomatic service.

In its initial response, the European Commission refused to identify the figure, only indicating the case involved a Swedish citizen who was used as a "pion for political reasons" by the Iranian government.

Yesterday, Josep Borrell, who oversees the EEAS, confirmed the information published by the newspaper, saying Floderus had been "illegally detained".

"I want to emphasize that, personally, my entire team, at all levels, European institutions that are coordinating closely with Swedish authorities, who have the first responsibility for consular protection, and with their families, have encouraged Iranian authorities to release them," Borell told reporters while attending a ministerial meeting in Crypto, Spain., reported by Euronews September 6.

"Every time we hold a diplomatic meeting, at all levels, we have raised this issue to the negotiating table. Without stopping, we have been working to free Floderus. And we will continue to do so in close contact with the family, respecting their rights and of course with the Swedish government," he continued.

"This is our agenda, in our hearts, and we will not stop until Floderus is released," Borrell stressed.

According to the New York Times, Floderus previously visited Iran in his capacity as an EU official, but was on a private trip with his friends on the day he was detained.

Floderus was later charged with "spionage", an allegation strongly denied by the Swedish people.

In a statement to the newspaper, the family said: "We, Johan's family, are very worried and desperate. Johan suddenly and without reason was deprived of his freedom on holiday trips and has been in Iranian prison for more than 500 days".