Sweden says Iran has executed a Swedish citizen

STOCKHOLM, March 18 (Reuters) - ‌Iran executed ​a ​Swedish citizen on Wednesday, Sweden's foreign minister said, adding that she had ‌summoned the Iranian ambassador in Stockholm to condemn ⁠the decision.

The person, who was not named, was arrested ‌in Iran in June ‌of last year and Sweden has repeatedly raised the case with Iranian officials, Foreign Minister ​Maria Malmer 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," Stenergard said.

The legal proceedings leading up to the execution did not ​meet the standards of ‌due process, she added.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned ⁠the execution in a statement on Wednesday evening.

"The appalling human rights situation in Iran and the alarming ⁠increase in executions are intolerable and show the regime's true ​colours," she said, sending condolences to the family of the citizen.

The Swedish foreign ministry and the Iranian embassy ‌in Stockholm did not immediately respond to a request for comment when ‌contacted by Reuters via phone and email.

(Reporting ⁠by Johan Ahlander in ‌Stockholm, Louise Rasmussen ​in Copenhagen and Inti Landauro in Brussels, editing by Terje Solsvik and Hugh ‌Lawson)

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