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Five teenagers have gone on trial in Sweden over the alleged attempted murder of Iranian dissident researcher Arvin Khoshnood.
Khoshnood, who supports the son of Iran’s last Shah, claims the plot was orchestrated by a criminal network acting on behalf of Iranian authorities.
The case, being heard behind closed doors at the Gothenburg District Court, opened with prosecutors outlining the charges against the suspects, aged between 15 and 17, according to his lawyer, Sylvia Strid. Three face attempted murder charges, while the others are accused of complicity.
Prosecutors said that on September 2, 2025, one of the teenagers, armed with a knife, went to Khoshnood’s home in Malmo and rang the doorbell. His wife answered, and the youth, then 16, asked if her husband was at home.
Having previously received threats, Khoshnood “immediately had a gut feeling that something was wrong”, Strid said.
“He told his wife to close the door, then he took a picture of the boy, which proved crucial to the investigation. He really had a guardian angel. Their young children were also in the house,” Strid added.
Khoshnood was unharmed but has since been living at a different address for safety reasons.
Prosecutors allege the teenager was recruited via messaging apps and promised payment to carry out the killing.
They said three of the accused, along with a fourth individual believed to be the mastermind—whose identity remains unknown—provided instructions, supplied the knife and negotiated the terms of the “contract”.
“These are acts that fall under so-called crime as a service, where young perpetrators in Sweden take on assignments from individuals connected to organised crime,” prosecutor Per-Erik Rinsell said.
Khoshnood believes the plot was linked to Foxtrot, a major gang led by Rawa Majid, who is reportedly connected to Iranian authorities.
Khoshnood frequently appears in Swedish media as an analyst on Iran and supports Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States.
The Swedish Security Service has identified Iran as a key security threat, accusing it of using criminal gangs to carry out “acts of violence” against Israeli interests and Iranian opposition figures, allegations Tehran has denied.
One of the accused is also suspected of plotting to bomb the headquarters of Aimpoint in Malmo, while several face additional charges linked to a separate attempted murder in Uddevalla.
