A Swiss citizen Iran says died by suicide in prison was a 64-year-old tourist, a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told Iran International, adding that Switzerland is seeking more details on his arrest and death from Tehran.
The foreign ministry added on Friday that the individual had been living in South Africa for the past 20 years and was traveling in Iran as a tourist.
The email response from the ministry said that the Swiss embassy in Iran was earlier denied access to the prisoner and now wants Tehran to provide full information about his arrest and death.
"Since Switzerland was informed of the arrest, the Swiss Embassy in Tehran has been in daily contact with the Iranian authorities to obtain more information about the circumstances of the arrest and to gain access to the detained Swiss citizen," the foreign ministry said.
"However, due to the accusations (espionage – national security), the requested consular access was not granted," it added. "Switzerland is demanding that the Iranian authorities provide detailed information."
The Swiss citizen who allegedly committed suicide in Semnan Prison on Thursday had been arrested while collecting soil samples in Iran’s central desert during an Israeli airstrike, media affiliated with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported.
Meanwhile, local media quoted unnamed Iranian official as saying that person was conducting espionage when he was arrested. The name of the Swiss citizen and the circumstances of his arrest and death remain unclear.
“This individual used prior intelligence training to take their own life during a specific opportunity,” Mashregh News, a publication affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported late Thursday, citing an unnamed security official.
"Switzerland is demanding that the Iranian authorities provide detailed information on the reasons for his arrest and a full investigation into the circumstances of his death," the Swiss foreign ministry said.
The individual, detained by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, was accused of gathering information in a sensitive area during Israel's October air attack. The media report specifically said that this occurred during the Shahroud attack, which targeted an IRGC missile facility. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs later revealed significant damage to the site, known for building ballistic missiles and launching rockets as part of Iran’s space program.
After their arrest, the person was transferred to Semnan Prison, where they allegedly revealed information about their network and communication links, according to the outlet.
A local judiciary official confirmed the death on Thursday, saying that the Swiss national, facing espionage charges, had committed suicide in their cell.
Switzerland has also confirmed the death. "The FDFA confirms the death of a Swiss citizen in Iran," spokesperson Pierre-Alain Eltschinger told Iran International. "The Swiss Embassy in Tehran is in contact with the local authorities to clarify the circumstances of the death in an Iranian prison," he added.
According to Mizan, Iran's judiciary news website, the detainee asked their cellmate on Thursday morning to purchase food from the prison canteen. While alone in the suite, the detainee reportedly took their own life. "Prison officials immediately intervened to save the individual, but their efforts were unsuccessful," Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, a local judiciary official, was quoted as saying. “Suicide has been definitively confirmed.”
Iran has arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners in recent years, often on charges of espionage or security-related offenses. Some of these detainees have been released in exchange for deals involving Iranians held in foreign prisons.
In an unprecedented report on Thursday, Tehran’s Reformist daily Etemad questioned Pezeshkian and his team's effectiveness, telling him, "Iranian and foreign politicians have not taken you seriously."
As hardliners in the Iranian parliament push to impeach four ministers, Tehran’s press has also highlighted that some opposition to Pezeshkian also stems from within his own government and support base.
Iran's economic conditions have significantly worsened in the five months since the new president took office, driven largely by major regional setbacks that triggered a 33% decline in the national currency's value.
Despite ongoing criticism of the government’s efficiency, the President and his aides participated in a “national reconciliation” conference on Thursday morning. However all 44 photos published by the state-owned news agency ISNA exclusively feature Reformist participants, with no representation from other factions within the Islamic Republic’s political spectrum.
President Pezeshkian has promoted the concept of Vefaq-e Melli (national reconciliation) as an olive branch to hardliners who dominate the parliament and many state-backed organizations. Yet, these same hardliners have recently intensified their campaign against him, even though he has already appointed several of them to key positions.
According to multiple media reports, including those from the moderate Khabar Online website, critics across the Iranian media spectrum argue that "The concept of national reconciliation has achieved little beyond awarding most key government positions to the President's political rivals, without securing their commitment to follow his policies or refrain from advancing ultraconservative agendas."
In another report on the same website, columnist Nilufar Molaei highlighted the growing criticism from various circles, noting, "Those who previously supported former President Ebrahim Raisi have now joined the ranks of Pezeshkian's critics." Molaei was referring to members of the ultraconservative Paydari Party, which formed the backbone of the Raisi administration.
She explained that hardliners are frustrated with the president's efforts to improve Iranians' access to social media, his decision to halt the enforcement of legislation targeting women who defy the compulsory hijab, and the possibility of negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Highlighting the opposition from hardliner Friday Prayer leaders in cities such as Mashhad, Karaj, Qazvin, Isfahan and others, Molaei also noted that some criticism of the Pezeshkian administration originates from within his own government.
This observation was echoed by ultraconservative lawmaker and a member of the Paydari Party, who remarked that even some individuals pushing for the impeachment of four of Pezeshkian's ministers are staunch supporters of the president and affiliated with reformist parties.
Meanwhile, the reformist daily Etemad, in a commentary directed at the President, urged, "Being a good President is not enough; you must also stand firm on your positions." The publication warned that "both Iranian and foreign politicians do not take you seriously."
Etemad further observed, "Whether Pezeshkian realizes it or not, he now occupies a pivotal position in history, and his performance could play a decisive role in shaping the future of the Iranian people."
The commentary also pointed out that "The country's current situation calls for someone who can do something more than simply running meetings, visiting other countries and meeting with their politicians, and making ad hoc decisions. Iran is facing complicated threats and major challenges."
Etemad wrote that Pezeshkian has repeatedly acknowledged he never expected to become Iran's president or to face such significant challenges. The publication emphasized that the entire nation is watching him, expecting decisive and bold action to address the crises. It urged Pezeshkian to rise to the occasion, overcome obstacles, and pave the way for progress as the nation waits in anticipation.
Etemad warned Pezeshkian that relying solely on optimistic declarations is not enough, writing, “Give the people the feeling that someone is in charge and capable of stopping the violation of their rights and plundering of their wealth. It is a difficult job, but you need to stand firm and shake up the country's [system] and instill hope among the nation.”
