Iran Condemned By EU After Executing Swedish Citizen Charged With Spying For Israel
Iran has executed a Swedish citizen, the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm said on March 18, prompting condemnation from Sweden and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Swedish officials did not name the person, who had been arrested in June of 2025.
But earlier, the Mizan Online news agency, which is run by Iran's judiciary, said a man named Kouroush Keyvani was executed for spying for Israel. It said he was arrested during Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Keyvani, an Iranian national, had also obtained Swedish citizenship in 2019.
Sweden had repeatedly raised his case with Tehran, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said.
Since his arrest, "we have done everything in our power to try to change this situation. We have been in contact at various levels, both in Stockholm and in Tehran," Stenergard said.
"The death penalty is an inhumane, cruel, and irreversible punishment. Sweden, together with the rest of the EU, condemns its application in all circumstances," she said.
She added that legal proceedings leading up to the execution did not meet the standards of due process.
Kallas said: "The appalling human rights situation in Iran and the alarming increase in executions are intolerable and show the regime's true colors."
Keyvani was the third person executed by Iran on espionage charges this year. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights monitoring group said at least 13 people were executed last year on spying-related charges.
Western governments and rights groups of soundly condemned Tehran for executions carried out after questionable legal proceedings.
Iran executed more than 2,500 people in 2025 for various crimes in what the UN human rights watchdog called a "dramatic escalation" and Amnesty International called a "horrifying assault" on the right to life.
Iran Says It Will 'Boycott US' But Compete At World Cup
Iran will "boycott the United States" but still plans to compete in the upcoming soccer World Cup, the country's football federation chief, Mehdi Taj, said as uncertainty grows over the team’s participation amid the ongoing conflict.
Iran is scheduled to play group matches in the US, but officials have opened talks with soccer's world governing body, FIFA, about relocating games. World Cup co-host Mexico has indicated it would be willing to stage Iran's games at the tournament, if needed.
FIFA has not changed the tournament schedule, although US President Donald Trump has warned that Iranian players could face safety risks if they travel to the country. Tehran rejected those remarks, insisting its team cannot be excluded.
The dispute comes despite earlier assurances from FIFA that Iran would be welcome, raising questions over logistics, visas, and security ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
If Iran -- which is drawn with Belgium. Egypt, and Italy in the group phase -- does not participate in the World Cup, it is unclear which country could replace it.
Saudi Refinery Stops Oil Loadings As Gulf Energy Facilities Come Under Fire
The key Saudi port of Yanbu has stopped oil loadings, two sources told Reuters on March 19, after the Saudi Defense Ministry said it had intercepted a ballistic missile over the city.
Earlier, an aerial attack targeted Saudi Aramco’s SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port on March 19, though an industry source said the impact was minimal.
The attacks follow an Iranian evacuation warning for energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar after a strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field.
Yanbu is a critical export hub on the Red Sea and one of the main alternatives for Persian Gulf oil shipments since Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a route that normally carries about a fifth of global supply.
The UAE’s Fujairah port, another key outlet, has also been hit by attacks, disrupting operations.
Strikes across the region -- including damage to Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG hub -- have heightened concerns over energy supply security.
Based on reporting by Reuters
Oil Jumps, Stocks Slide As Gulf Attacks Raise Energy Supply Fears
Oil prices surged and global stocks fell sharply on March 19 as escalating attacks on Persian Gulf energy infrastructure heightened fears of supply disruptions.
Brent crude jumped 7 percent to pass $115 per barrel, while US crude briefly topped $100, after Iranian strikes hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas hub and followed threats to target more regional facilities. European gas prices spiked more than 30 percent.
Equity markets reacted negatively, with major Asian indexes -- including Tokyo and Seoul -- posting steep losses, with declines seen across global markets.
The conflict has effectively disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about a fifth of global oil and gas flows, adding to market volatility.
Rising energy costs have fueled concerns about renewed inflation and potential interest rate hikes, with central banks warning of growing economic uncertainty as the crisis deepens.
Based on reporting by Reuters
Iran Prison Conditions Deteriorate Sharply Amid War, Rights Group Says
Iran’s prison conditions have sharply deteriorated since the outbreak of war on February 28, with widespread reports of human rights violations, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO).
The group said Internet shutdowns and increased militarization have left detainees isolated, with special forces taking control of several prisons across the country.
Saying it had "received alarming reports about conditions in prisons across Iran," IHRNGO cited severe shortages of food, water, and medicine, along with unsanitary conditions, restricted access to health care, and the closure of prison commissaries. At least one prisoner has died after being denied medical treatment, while others have launched hunger strikes in protest.
While some inmates convicted of minor offenses have been temporarily released, political prisoners, death row inmates, and others serving long sentences remain in deteriorating conditions or have been transferred to unknown locations.
IHRNGO also reported overcrowding, violence, and intensified security measures in multiple facilities, raising concerns about the safety and welfare of detainees nationwide.
Iran Executes 3 Over Alleged Protest Killings
Iran has reportedly executed three men who, according to Iranian state media, were convicted of killing two police officers during unrest earlier this year.
The judiciary’s news agency, Mizan Online, said on March 19 that the death sentences of "three convicted rioters" had been carried out.
According to Reuters, the executions took place in the religious city of Qom. The judiciary said the men had been found guilty of murder and "waging war against God," including carrying out acts that it claimed benefited Israel and the United States.
Iranian authorities said the three had participated in attacks with knives and other weapons during protests on January 8, resulting in the deaths the policemen.
Iran is one of the world’s most prolific users of the death penalty, with executions often rising during periods of unrest.
Earlier on March 18, the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm said Iran had executed a Swedish citizen, prompting condemnation from Sweden and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Vessel Hit By 'Unknown Projectile' At Qatar Gas Hub
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a shipping security monitoring group, reported early on March 19 that it had received information about a vessel being struck near Ras Laffan, Qatar's primary hub for liquefied natural gas production.
"It has been reported to UKMTO that a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile. All crew are reported safe and well," the group said on X.
Qatar Slams Iranian Attacks On Regional Energy Facilities
Qatar has strongly condemned Iran's recent attacks on energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, calling them a serious violation of international law and a threat to global energy security, navigation, and the environment.
"Iran's brutal attacks on countries in the region have crossed all red lines by targeting civilians, civilian objects, and vital facilities," Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 19.
It also emphasized "the need to spare the region the consequences of these unjustified attacks and to work towards de-escalation to restore regional and international security and stability." Qata
'Brief Restoration' Of Internet Reported In Iran, Says Monitor
The Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reports that network data showed a "brief restoration" of Internet connectivity in Iran during the 444th hour of the country's second-longest digital blackout.
"Some users report coming momentarily back online after an apparent filtering system glitch. However, the restoration is not sustained," NetBlocks said in a post on X late on March 18.
The Islamic republic cut Internet access across Iran in the early hours of February 28, shortly after the start of US and Israeli attacks. Connectivity from inside the country has dropped to around 1 percent since the conflict started.
Experts and rights groups say Internet shutdowns in Iran can limit information leaving the country and help authorities control the narrative during unrest or conflict.
EU Leaders To Convene, With Iran, Ukraine Wars On Agenda
The wars in Iran and Ukraine will be on the agenda as European Union leaders meet in Brussels on March 19. Fuel prices in the EU have surged since the United States and Israel began an air campaign against Iran nearly three weeks ago, and member states are struggling to find ways to ease the burden on consumers. The matter of high energy prices has been an issue for EU leaders even before the Iran war and have only been exacerbated with the disruptions to the sector as the conflict has spilled over into the greater Gulf region.
Vessel Hit Off Gulf Of Oman As Shipping Remains Perilous
A vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile while in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, a British naval security agency said on March 19. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report at 2300 GMT on March 18 "that a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, which has resulted in a fire on board" about 20 kilometers off United Arab Emirates port of Khor Fakkan. Further details were not immediately available. Ships have repeatedly been hit by projectiles in the Persian Gullf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28. Threat of attack as brought a severely disrupted shipping in the region, hitting the oil sector especially hard.