Ulf Kristersson, the Prime Minister of Sweden, accused the Iranian regime during his speech at the annual “Society and Defense” conference of using criminal gangs to advance its proxy actions.

He pointed out that Iran exploits these groups to carry out serious crimes in Sweden, which he described as part of a new approach to proxy warfare. Kristersson further emphasized that Sweden and its neighbors are facing hybrid attacks, which rely on digital tools, money, misinformation, and sabotage, rather than conventional military forces.

These statements come after the Swedish Security Service reported in June 2023 that evidence exists showing the Iranian government has been utilizing Swedish criminal gangs to carry out violent actions against Israel and other countries.