Iran confirms national's return from Italy despite US extradition request
A few days after the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was temporarily detained in Iran, an Iranian citizen detained in Italy is now also to be released. Italy's Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has applied to a court in Milan to have Mohammad Abedini's detention lifted. Abedini was arrested in Italy in December at the request of the United States. He is accused of supplying drones that were used to kill US soldiers.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 09:10 | 12 January 2025
- Modified Date: 09:10 | 12 January 2025
Iran announced on Sunday that a national held in Italy had return home, shortly after Rome said it was seeking to revoke his arrest and extradition warrant.
Mohammad Abedini, 38, was arrested in Italy last month at the behest of the United States, which accused him of supplying sophisticated drone navigation technology to Iran's military, in violation of US sanctions.
"Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the release of Mr. Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian citizen detained in Italy, and his return to his homeland," the ministry said in a statement.
The Iranian judiciary's official news agency Mizan Online has said earlier that Abedini would return to Tehran "in the coming hours".
The website said that following consultations between Iran's foreign and intelligence ministries and Italy's intelligence service, "the problem was resolved and led to his release and return".
US justice authorities alleged that the components supplied by Abedini were later used in a drone strike last January at a Jordanian military base near the Syrian border that killed three American service members.
Abedini has been held in a Milan jail since his arrest, with Iran denying the accusations and calling his detention an "illegal act" that risked damaging Rome-Tehran relations.