Iran Saturday executed Swedish-Iranian dual national Habib Farajollah Chaab after being sentenced to death for charges of conspiracy and terrorism. Chaab was the leader of the group Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA), which Iran believes to be a terrorist organisation.

The Iran Supreme Court issued the death sentence in March 2023, following an appeal case that decided Chaab was responsible for numerous terrorist operations against the people of Iran. The court highlighted ASLMA’s involvement in the bombing of a parade of the armed forces in Ahvaz, which resulted in the death of 25 people and injured of many others. Authorities investigated many other attacks perpetrated by ASLMA, such as bombings of government places and armed robberies. The court considered Chaab’s records and his links to Sweden in the appeal.

Norway-based human rights group, Iran International, condemned the execution of Chaab on Twitter, labelling the trial in Iran as a “sham trial.” The organisation highlighted Chaab as “one of three Iranian dissidents who have been abducted by state agents and brought back to Iran since 2019.”

Foreign Secretary of the UK government, James Cleverly, issued a statement following the execution, stating he was “appalled at the news” and reiterating that “the UK strongly opposes the death penalty.” Cleverly called on the Iranian regime to “stop all executions now” as they “work with Sweden and other partners” to hold the Iranian regime to account.