In Rome, the intertwined fate of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran and an Iranian engineer imprisoned in Italy on a U.S. warrant took center stage on Friday. The Iranian engineer, Mohammad Abedini, faces possible extradition to the United States for allegedly providing drone technology to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard corps. A Milan court set a hearing for Jan. 15 to determine whether Abedini will remain in Milan’s Opera prison or be placed under house arrest during the extradition process.
The U.S. government has not publicly commented on Abedini’s case, but has expressed concerns to Italy’s justice ministry in the past about suspects wanted by the U.S. who have escaped before extradition. Abedini’s lawyer, Alfredo De Francesco, visited him in prison and shared that Abedini was concerned about Cecilia Sala, an Italian reporter detained in Tehran shortly after Abedini’s arrest in Milan. Speculation suggests Iran is holding Sala as leverage for Abedini’s release, with both governments publicly linking their fates.
During the visit, Abedini asked his lawyer to write Sala’s name down so he could pray for her. Despite confusion over their connection, the lawyer clarified that the cases are distinct. Sala, a journalist for Il Foglio daily, was arrested in Iran for violating local laws. Abedini and another Iranian citizen were charged by the U.S. Justice Department for supplying drone technology used in a 2024 attack in Jordan. Iran’s embassy in Italy has urged for mutual respect of their citizens’ rights.
Iran stated that it believed Abedini was being detained on “false charges.” The intricate diplomatic situation presents a challenge for the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, still reeling from the embarrassment of losing track of another prominent individual sought by the U.S. Russian businessman Artyom Uss, wanted by the U.S. for alleged sanctions violations, managed to escape from Italy in 2022 after being placed under house arrest, despite U.S. warnings about his potential to flee. Uss, the son of a Russian regional governor, later reappeared in Russia. Meloni acknowledged significant “anomalies” in the handling of the case and initiated an investigation at the time. Milan’s chief prosecutor, Francesca Nanni, has opposed Abedini’s request for house arrest, citing concerns about his likelihood to flee, with assurances from Iran’s consulate in Milan deemed insufficient to prevent his disappearance. The matter may be raised next week as Meloni welcomes President Joe Biden on his final international trip before the end of his term.
