Finland has become the target of espionage operations by Iran, according to Helsinki’s top intelligence agency.
The Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) has yet to elaborate on what specific information Iran is seeking out from Finland, but stated that “the threat has also increased in the Nordic countries.”
Supo claims that Iran’s actions are believed to be a reflection of the country’s deteriorating relations with the West.
This is the first time that Supo has officially named Tehran as one of the states suspected of spying on Helsinki, with only Russia and China previously identified.
In addition to these three nations, other countries are being investigated by the agency for possible espionage missions targeting Finland and its people, according to Yle News.
Spy Trouble
Supo has released statements urging the Finnish to prepare for more outside influence in the form of espionage missions from both Russia and China.
In 2023, Finland and other Nordic states claimed that Russia had been running a spy program that planned to sabotage energy infrastructure in Northern Europe.
The joint investigation with Norway, Denmark, and Sweden stated that Moscow used dozens of military and civilian vessels to collect information on wind farms and communication cables.
The Kremlin dismissed the country’s claims, calling it a “mistake” and “without basis.”
Finland joined Germany and Sweden in launching a NATO naval command center last year to maintain a strong maritime picture in the Baltic Sea region, partly due to suspected spying and sabotage by Russia.
