Local residents and the city of Lidingö continue to be upset about problems caused by Iran’s embassy.

Unlike most foreign embassies in Sweden, Iran’s is not located in Stockholm, but rather is isolated on the island suburb of Lidingö. Around 90,000 Iranians live in Sweden, and beween 200 and 300 people visit the embassy every day. Yet the compound lacks parking, and since most visitors arrive in cars, they are forced to park, often illegally, on the street outside the compound. They also seem to be less than fastidious about tossing their garbage when they park.

The local newspaper “Lidingö Tidning” reports that local residents are furious about massive litter problems, and because the street is frequently blocked by poorly parked cars. The latter problem also means the buses that run past the compound often cannot get through.

At least once a week the police pay a visit to the site and issue parking tickets, but that doesn’t seem to help.

The embassy received permission to build a parking lot inside its compound several years ago, but has not taken any steps to actually start construction. Per Olof Kroon, Technical Manager for the city of Lidingö, says “Several times in recent years we’ve received promises that something will happen, but then nothing does. They keep replacing personnel, and then we have to start again from the beginning.”

The embassy says the final approval for the parking lot has to be taken in Tehran.

The city could alleviate the litter problem by placing a trash can at the location, but it refuses to do so, as that, officials say, might enforce the impression that parking is allowed at the site.