Iran and Sweden agree to a prisoner swap freeing man convicted of war crimes over ’88 executions

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Sweden have agreed to a prisoner swap freeing Hamid Nouri, convicted of war crimes by Sweden over 1988 mass executions in the Islamic Republic. In exchange, Iran on Saturday released Johan Floderus, a Swede who had been working for the European Union’s diplomatic corps, as well as a man identified as Saeed Azizi by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Swedish officials did not immediately acknowledge the deal. Oman mediated the swap, the state-run Oman News Agency reported. Iranian state television reported Nouri was already freed and would be heading back to Tehran. In 2022, the Stockholm District Court sentenced Nouri to life in prison over his role in the executions.