In a nine-minute propaganda documentary, the Ministry of Intelligence shows the Swedish citizen Habib Chaab in an arranged interview where he admits a number of serious security crimes, from armed robbery, to terrorism and espionage on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
Complicated matter
Admissions after torture-like interrogations are not uncommon and already a month ago, Iran expert Arvin Khoshnood explained in an interview with SVT that this was the probable outcome for the Swedish citizen.
The case is further complicated by the fact that two Swedes are currently in a very urgent situation in Iran.
The news coverage of recent days has been dominated by the fact that KI researcher Ahmadreza Djalali is expected to be executed in the next few days and Amnesty's work to stop the death penalty.
Now the Foreign Ministry also confirms Habib Chaab's very complicated situation for SVT.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that intensive work is underway around the case, in Turkey, Iran and in dialogue with the respective countries' ambassadors in Stockholm.
- We have asked to meet him, we also know that the Swedish citizen has appeared in a TV feature in Iran.
This is something we address in our contacts with Iran, says Julia Eriksson Pogorzelska, press communicator at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
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What is the documentary about, who is behind it and can you trust that the confessions made in the video are true? Here are three questions with Iran expert Arvin Khoshnood.
Photo: Screenshot from the propaganda film from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence.
"Want to avoid being humiliated"
The forced recognition, which has now been published with Habib Chaab, means that Arvin Khoshnood sees very little chance that the Swedish citizen will escape the death penalty.
- The reason why he can seem calm in the documentary, I think, is that he knows it's over.
He wants to avoid being humiliated and broken.
- As you can see, you usually avoid the face, he does not even have a bruise.
On the other hand, you attack the rest of the body, in this way you get the people to say what is needed in an interview.
Habib Chaab is a leader in the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA).
The separatist organization is branded a terrorist by the Iranian state and has been accused of carrying out acts against both civilian and military targets in the country.
The trial should not be given legitimacy
Iranian expert Arvin Khoshnood believes that it may well be that some of the accusations leveled against him are true.
But stresses that a future trial should still not be given any legitimacy.
- It does not matter if Habib Chaab had been called James Bond and was from Great Britain, he would still have been executed.
The problem with Iran is that there is no possibility of a fair trial.
This person has no ability to defend himself.