Hossein Alizadeh quit as deputy head of mission last week, following an Iranian consular official whose granting of asylum in Norway provoked a row between Tehran and Oslo in January.

“I wouldn’t go back to Iran, because I can imagine that I would even face capital punishment,” Alizadeh said on Monday. “Through many channels I have received many warm words that (the) Finnish government gives all the facilities and provides all the security for myself.”

An official at the Finnish Interior Ministry said she could not comment on individual cases, but added that asylum-seekers had to wait about a year to get their application processed.

Alizadeh’s resignation was announced on Friday by the Green Wave, founded by Paris-based Iranian exile Amir Hossein Jahanchahi.

Alizadeh accused Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday of stealing the June 2009 election from opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi and of persecuting opposition members.

“Ahmadinejad is no more the Iranian leader and he does not represent Iran any more. He has no popularity among the Iranians,” Alizadeh said.

In January Mohammed Reza Heydari resigned and received political asylum in Norway, leading to a tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsion row. He has since joined the Green Wave opposition movement in exile.