ROME (AP) — The situation of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran and an Iranian engineer imprisoned in Italy on a U.S. warrant became increasingly intertwined on Friday as the Iranian engineer faces the possibility of extradition to the United States for allegedly providing drone technology to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard corps.
A Milan court has set a hearing for Jan. 15 to determine whether Mohammad Abedini will remain at Milan’s Opera prison or be granted house arrest while awaiting the start of his extradition proceedings. The U.S. government has not publicly commented on Abedini’s case, but it has raised concerns with Italy’s justice ministry in the past about suspects wanted by the U.S. managing to evade extradition from Italy.
Lawyer Alfredo De Francesco, who visited Abedini in prison on Friday, revealed that his client had inquired about Cecilia Sala, an Italian reporter detained in Tehran shortly after Abedini’s arrest in Milan. Speculation has arisen that Iran may be using Sala as leverage to secure Abedini’s release, with both governments publicly linking their cases.
De Francesco shared that Abedini expressed concern for Sala upon learning of her situation and prayed for both her and himself. The lawyer clarified to Abedini that Sala’s case was separate from his own, despite attempts to connect them.
Sala, a journalist for Il Foglio daily, was arrested in Iran on Dec. 19 for allegedly violating the country’s laws after arriving on a journalist visa. Abedini, on the other hand, was apprehended at Milan’s Malpensa airport on Dec. 16 following U.S. charges accusing him of supplying drone technology used in an attack on a U.S. outpost in Jordan.
The U.S. Justice Department implicated Abedini and another Iranian in charges related to exporting control violations after linking the drone navigation system from the Jordan attack to them. Abedini’s company in Tehran was identified as manufacturing navigation systems for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard drone program.
Iran’s embassy in Italy has connected Sala’s fate to Abedini’s, emphasizing the expectation for Italy to ensure rights for both individuals. The embassy’s statement highlighted the need for the Italian government to facilitate the detained Iranian citizen’s release and provide necessary support, following Ambassador Mohammadreza Sabouri’s meeting with the Italian Foreign Ministry for consultations.
Iran has stated that it believes Saeed Abedini is being detained on “false charges.” The intricate diplomatic situation presents a challenge for the administration of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which is still reeling from the embarrassment of losing track of another high-profile individual sought by the United States. Russian businessman Artyom Uss, who is wanted by the U.S. for alleged sanctions violations, managed to escape from Italy in 2022 after being placed under house arrest, despite warnings from American authorities about his potential to flee. Uss, who is the son of a Russian regional governor, later resurfaced in Russia. Meloni acknowledged at the time that there were significant “anomalies” in the handling of Uss’s case and initiated an investigation.
Francesca Nanni, the chief prosecutor in Milan, has opposed Abedini’s request for house arrest, citing concerns that he poses a flight risk. Nanni emphasized that even assurances provided by Iran’s consulate in Milan were not sufficient to guarantee that Abedini would not abscond. This issue is expected to be on the agenda next week when Meloni hosts President Joe Biden during his final foreign trip before the end of his term.
