TEHRAN- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has urged the new Swedish government to swiftly free Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian judiciary official who is being held in Sweden.

In a phone conversation with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom on Friday, Amir Abdollahian warned of the negative effects of such unlawful incarceration on the two countries' ties.

Amir Abdollahian asserted that Tehran and Stockholm's relations have been severely harmed by the politicization of the Nouri case and attempts to obstruct a legal investigation into his case by the terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO).

The senior Iranian diplomat stated that "certain difficulties have negatively damaged the relations between the two nations in recent years, which were mostly the consequence of negative movements and measures of a third party."

He declared that "dialog and collaboration with the European Union have always been welcomed by the Islamic Republic."

Three years ago, as soon as Nouri arrived at the Stockholm Airport, he was detained. Authorities in Sweden claimed that he had been involved in the 1988 murder and torture of MKO members. He strongly denies the bogus accusations.

Nouri was given a life sentence by a Swedish court in July. Nouri was found guilty of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by the court. Iranian officials have maintained that the verdict is based on claims by the cultish MKO that was under the list of terrorist organizations by the European Union and the U.S. until recent years.

Amir Abdollahian emphasized the existing close ties between Iran and Sweden and recommended both countries to work together more closely in the future.

For his part, the Swedish foreign minister expressed concern over the damaging effects Nouri's case has had on the two countries' ties and vowed to vigorously pursue it.

He highlighted that Stockholm remains steadfast in its desire to strengthen ties with Tehran and urged Iran to cooperate more in handling the issues of some Swedish citizens who have been arrested there.

Amir Abdollahian and Billstrom discussed topics of mutual interest and global events throughout the call.

‘Iran opposes persistence of Ukraine war, seeks cease-fire’

During a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart Nikolay Milov on Saturday, Amir Abdollahian also said that his nation opposes the prolongation of the war in Ukraine and is working to achieve a truce between the warring parties.

Amir Abdollahian also denied Western charges that Tehran had supplied drones to Moscow for use in the Ukraine conflict.

"We do not have a restriction on the export and purchase of weapons under Security Council Resolution 2231, but we have not sent Russia any weaponry to use in the Ukraine war," he explained.

He continued by saying that the Islamic Republic is likewise opposed to NATO expansion in the region.

Nasser Kanaani, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, made similar statements earlier in the day, rejecting claims that Iran had provided Russia with weapons to use against Ukraine

Kanaani asserted that the Islamic Republic is opposed to all forms of conflict and supports truce and peace in Ukraine.

“Sending Iranian weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine war is a baseless accusation that they raise every day to legitimize their daily practice of exporting weapons to Ukraine,” Kanaani said in a post on his Twitter account. 

He added those who make such allegations against Iran are the ones who provoked the conflict and are continuing it.

"Iran opposes violence and favors a cease-fire and peace," the spokesman said. 

Tehran has vehemently denied that Russia has received weaponry and drones from Iran for use against Ukraine. Tehran maintains to have a long-standing defense partnership with Moscow and seeks a peaceful settlement to the crisis via negotiations and diplomacy.

The allegations against Iran first surfaced in July, when US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan claimed that Washington had "information" suggesting that the Islamic Republic was getting ready to give Russia "up to several hundred drones, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline" for use in the conflict in Ukraine.

Concurrent with accusations against Iran, Kiev receives a variety of munitions and weapons from the United States and its European allies, stoking the conflict in the former Soviet republic.

‘Certain Western countries take 'unconstructive' approach in response to riots’

Also on Friday, Amir Abdollahian criticized several Western nations' "unconstructive" stances and deeds in relation to the unrest in Iran.

Certain European officials demonstrated during the turmoil in Iran that they are chasing their own "partisan ambitions rather than national interests," Amir Abdollahian said in a phone conversation with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.

In reference to the diplomatic attempts to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Amir Abdollahian also stated, “We always welcome interaction with Europe. This is while the three countries of Germany, France and England have since 2018 not been able to implement the nuclear agreement, which was an international obligation, after the imposition of sanctions by the Trump administration.”

The senior Iranian diplomat also emphasized the longstanding connections between the two nations and expressed support for the ongoing development of Tehran-Madrid ties.

Regarding the recent terrorist assault in the southern city of Shiraz, he was appreciative of Spain's stance.

Albares, for his part, denounced the terrorist attack in Shiraz and conveyed the Spanish government's sympathies with the people of Iran.

The Spanish foreign minister stressed the need for dialogue and characterized the ties between the two nations as "historic."