The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised its citizens against traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran due to the security risks to foreigners.

Ahead of the conclusion of a trial that has soured relations between Iran and Sweden, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday, "Due to the security situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all travel to Iran."

“In recent times…Iran has in various ways expressed its dissatisfaction with an ongoing trial against an Iranian citizen in Sweden,” the foreign ministry said. It had previously advised against all unnecessary travels.

Swedish prosecutors requested a life sentence for former Iranian prison guard, Hamid Noury (Nouri), on trial in Sweden for his role in the execution of up to 5,000 political prisoners in 1988, while Swedish-Iranian scientist Ahmad-Reza Djalali faces the death sentence in Iran after he was arrested on trumped-up charges of spying.

Sweden is probably worried that Iran may detain Swedish citizens to have more bargaining chips for the release of Noury, who was arrested in November 2019 while visiting Sweden. Sweden used the principle of universal jurisdiction to arrest and prosecute Noury, because the alleged crimes amounted to war crimes. His verdict is due on July 14.

Iran has repeatedly ruled out a prisoner swap with Sweden.

Sweden on March 10 deported back to Iran two alleged Iranian agents who were arrested for links to a terrorist plot, instead of putting them on trial, since it does not want more tensions in its relations with Tehran.