BRUSSELS

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that the EU "will not stop" until Iran releases an official from Sweden who has been in detention for over a year.

Speaking to reporters at the informal meeting of EU development ministers in Cadiz, Spain, Borrell confirmed that a "Swedish citizen who worked for the European Union has been detained illegally in Iran for the last 500 days."

His remarks came after the US daily New York Times reported on Monday that Johan Florus, who worked for the EU's diplomatic service, had been detained in Iran over charges of spying since last year.

According to the report, Florus was arrested while returning from his vacation in Iran at Tehran's airport in April 2022.

Borrell underlined that the Swedish authorities have "the full responsibility of consular protection" for Florus.

At the same time, he stressed that EU diplomacy had raised "relentlessly" the issue at all meetings with Iran.

"This is very much on our agenda, in our heart. We will not stop until Florus is freed," Borrell asserted.