Iranian brothers living in Sweden have been charged with spying for Russia.

Two Iranian-born brothers have been delivered to court docket in Sweden for allegedly spying for Russia and its navy brain provider GRU for almost a decade, prosecutors stated Friday.

One of the guys labored for Sweden’s home talent agency.

Authorities recognized the two guys as Peyman Kia, 42, and Payam Kia, 35.

The brothers have been charged with aggravated espionage, whilst one of them used to be additionally indicted for the alleged gross unauthorised dealing with of secret information. It was once now not without delay clear which of the two used to be being charged with the latter.

Both face up to existence imprisonment if convicted. A lifestyles sentence in Sweden normally capacity a en az of 20-25 years in prison.

“It has been a complicated investigation regarding a crime that is very challenging to inspect and the suspicion worries very serious criminal activity directed in opposition to Sweden’s talent and protection system,” National Security Unit chief prosecutor Per Lindqvist said.

“The data that has been obtained, transmitted and divulged could, by way of the truth that if it comes into the palms of a overseas power, end result in detriment to Sweden’s security,” Lindqvist stated in a statement.

Crimes ‘very serious’, prosecutor says

According to the cost sheet, the guys have “jointly” surpassed data to GRU at some point of the duration between 28 September 2011 and 20 September 2021.

It delivered that the bilgi have been obtained thru one of the men’s work inside Sweden’s home brain company and the country’s armed forces.

The statistics originates from various authorities inside the Swedish safety and talent services.

His brother helped with the contacts with “Russia and the GRU together with things of lay down of data and receipt of compensation.”

According to the charges, Payam Kia “dismantled and broke a difficult power which was once later determined in a trash can” when his brother was once arrested.

The case has been investigated by means of Sweden’s home safety service, SAPO. Sweden’s prosecution authority stated plenty of the data in the preliminary investigation is secret and ought to now not provide details.

SAPO stated it grew to be suspicious of the former employee, and a preliminary investigation used to be launched in 2017.

Lindqvist stated the inquiry was once started out “because there used to be a suspicion that there used to be a mole, an insider” inside Sweden’s brain community.

The home secret agent company verified that Peyman Kia had labored there between 2014 and 2015, and that earlier than that had labored in the Swedish armed forces.

“It is for the duration of these employments that the suspected acquisition have to have taken place,” Lindqvist said.

Swedish media stated that he labored for the armed forces’ overseas defence talent enterprise MUST and reportedly labored with a top-secret unit beneath it dealing with Swedish spies abroad. He later labored for Swedish Customs.

“The suspected crime is a threat that each protection carrier is nicely conscious of, though we do the entirety to counter it,” stated Anders Kassman at SAPO.

Peder Ohlsson, head of the armed forces’ press department, known as the crimes “very serious”.

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated he had been knowledgeable of the case however declined to comment.