Swedish newspaper DN and several Israeli media were first to publish the claims on Thursday, citing Israeli security police Mossad.

In January, a hand grenade was thrown at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. According to Mossad, Swedish gang leader Rawa Majid’s network carried out the attack on Iran’s orders, DN wrote. 

Majid, the leader of the Foxtrot network, which has been involved in a series of deadly shootings and explosions in Sweden since last autumn, is said to have been given the choice between prison and cooperation when he was arrested in Iran.

Säpo confirmed in a press statement on Thursday that they, too, had “established that the Iranian regime uses criminal networks in Sweden to carry out violent acts against other states, groups, or individuals in Sweden that Iran regards as threats”. 

Säpo has previously mentioned Iran, as well as China and Russia, as one of the biggest security threats against Sweden.

“The security-threatening activities of the Iranian regime and its security services have also targeted representatives of other states, including Israel, that Iran regards as enemies of its regime. Such activities could be carried out with a view to harming Israeli and Jewish interests, targets, and activities in Sweden,” it said.

It said it had thwarted several attacks linked to the Iranian security services in recent years.

“Some of these attacks have used criminal networks as proxies,” it said.

Iran can also be tied to several other criminal networks in Europe, according to the reports. DN wrote that Mossad also claims that Foxtrot’s rival gang, Rumba, which is led by Majid’s former right-hand man Ismail Abdo, collaborates with Iran.