European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell admitted today that a European diplomat, Sweden’s Johan Floderus, has been held in Iran for more than 500 days.

Borel referred to the Floterus case during the informal meeting of the European Union’s development ministers in Cádiz, Spain. Sweden and the EU, however, refused to confirm the identity of the diplomat.

The New York Times revealed yesterday that 33-year-old Yohan Floderus was arrested in Tehran on April 17, 2022 as he prepared to board a plane returning from a tourist visit to Iran.

Borrell assured reporters, speaking before the start of the session, that he and his agencies are “working non-stop” to secure the release of the diplomat from Iranian prisons.

Sweden yesterday asked Iran to release a Swedish citizen who is being arbitrarily detained, without confirming his identity.

“This Swedish citizen is being arbitrarily deprived of his freedom and should be released immediately. This was requested by the Iranian authorities,” said an email sent to AFP by the Swedish Foreign Ministry yesterday.

Iran announced in July 2022 the arrest of a Swede for “espionage”, at a time of tension in Tehran’s relations with Stockholm.

“We are aware of the incident and are closely monitoring the case of a Swede detained in Iran,” said a representative of the European Commission yesterday.