Iran executes Swedish-Iranian citizen for terrorism

Tehran, May 6 (EFE) .- Iran on Saturday executed a Swedish-Iranian citizen for acts of terrorism, including an attack on a military parade that caused 25 deaths in the south of the country in 2018.

“The death sentence for Habib Chaab… nicknamed Habib Asyud, the head of Harakat Al-Nidal terrorist group… was executed today,” Mizan news agency of the judiciary said.

Chaab was accused of being the leader of the Arab separatist group Harakat al-Nidal, which seeks independence for the oil-rich province of Khuzestan in the south of the country.

According to Iranian authorities, Harakat al-Nidal is responsible for the deaths of 247 people in terrorist attacks in the country and is supported by the secret services of Saudi Arabia, Israel and Sweden.

Chaab allegedly organized several attacks in the country since 2005, including the attack on the city of Ahvaz on Sep.22, 2018 during a military parade on the occasion of the 38th anniversary of the start of the war between Iraq and Iran (1980-88).

Four extremists opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles from behind the gallery for officials, killing 25 people – including military and civilians, among them women and children – and injuring 60 others.

Chaab was arrested in 2020 after going missing from Turkey; his trial began in 2022 and was given a death sentence, which was upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court in March this year.

Chaab is the second person with dual citizenship executed in Iran this year, following the hanging of British-Iranian and former Deputy Defense Minister Alireza Akbari in January.

Akbari was executed for allegedly spying for Britain’s intelligence agency in exchange for money.

Iran is one of the leading countries in the number of executions, with 246 of them carried out in 2021. EFE

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