Questions to Iran “a thousand times over” have not given the EU any answers about the arrested Swedish official Johan Floderus, an EU source told the AFP news agency.
According to the source, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, Iran has never made any demands on what is needed to release the Swede.
– They haven’t brought any formal charges against him, at least not yet. They have not given us any conditions for his release, which we have been asking about since the very beginning, from day one, the source told AFP.
The EU has tried to get information about why Floderus, who worked with aid and development issues in Iran, was arrested at all.
– We do not know. We have asked that question a thousand times and never received a clear answer.
Notorious prison
Earlier this week, Iranian authorities gave only sweeping information about the Swedish EU official.
“This Swedish citizen has committed a crime on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said authorities’ spokesperson Massoud Satayshi in a comment, according to AFP.
He further said that an investigation into the case will soon be completed and will be sent to a court “within a few days”.
Johan Floderu’s family wrote this weekend in a statement that he is being held in harsh conditions, including that he has been isolated for 300 days and is kept in a cell with lighting around the clock.
Floderus is held in the notorious Evin prison outside the capital, Tehran.
Worked for Ylva
He has previously, among other things, worked for the Swedish EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who closely follows developments.
– He is very wise, very warm and an excellent person to work with. My chief of staff and I are in close contact with his family every week, Johansson said at an appearance in Brussels on Monday.
– I am very sorry – and very worried. But my feelings are of course nothing compared to how Johan feels, Johansson said at a press conference.