Tehran warns Rome bilateral ties at risk if detained Iranian not released from prison

Iran has warned Italy that it risks harming bilateral relations if it bows to the "political and hostile goals" of the United States by detaining an Iranian technologist connected a US warrant successful transportation with a drone onslaught successful Jordan past twelvemonth that killed 3 American troops.

Tehran issued the informing to the Italian ambassador to Iran, Paola Amadei, who was summoned to the overseas ministry, the authoritative IRNA quality bureau reported.

The gathering took spot a time aft Italy summoned the Iranian ambassador implicit the detention of the Italian writer Cecilia Sala successful Tehran.

The back-to-back diplomatic summonses underscored however a three-nation tangle implicit the fates of the 2 prisoners was becoming much analyzable for Italy, which is simply a accepted state of Washington but besides maintains bully relations with Tehran.

Mohammad Abedini was arrested by Italian authorities astatine Milan's Malpensa airdrome connected a US warrant connected 16 December.

The US Justice Department accuses him and different Iranian national of supplying Iran with the drone exertion that was utilized successful a January 2024 onslaught connected a US outpost successful Jordan that killed 3 American troops.

Three days later, the Italian newsman for the Il Foglio regular paper, Cecilia Sala, was arrested successful Tehran.

She had arrived successful the state connected 13 December connected a writer visa and was arrested connected charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic, IRNA said.

Il Foglio said Sala is being held successful Tehran’s Evin Prison, notorious for holding dissidents.

Italian commentators person speculated that Iran is holding Sala arsenic a bargaining spot to guarantee Abedini's release.

According to IRNA, a overseas ministry official, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, told Paola Amadei that Rome's continued detention of Abedini was an "illegal enactment that is done based connected the US request and successful enactment with the governmental and hostile goals of the state to clasp Iranian nationals hostage successful assorted points successful the world."

All eyes volition beryllium connected the Milan tribunal of appeals, which has scheduled a proceeding for 15 January to determine whether to support Abedini astatine Milan's Opera situation oregon assistance him location apprehension pending the commencement of the lengthy extradition process to America.

The US authorities hasn't commented publically connected Abedini's petition, but successful the past it has complained to Italy's justness ministry astir a half-dozen cases of suspects wanted by the US who escaped from Italy earlier they could beryllium extradited.

On Friday, Abedini's lawyer, Alfredo De Francesco visited his lawsuit successful situation and said helium had asked him about Sala.

He said Abedini had heard astir Sala's lawsuit wrong the situation and didn’t recognize immoderate transportation to him.

"He asked maine if she had been arrested and however she had been arrested, and wherefore successful immoderate mode they wanted to link her to him," the lawyer said.

"I explained the concern to him, adjacent what is said connected television, due to the fact that it is useless to contradict it, but I explained to him."

US national prosecutors charged Abedini and his co-defendant with export power violations aft FBI specialists analysed the drone navigation strategy utilized successful the Jordan onslaught and traced it to them.

US prosecutors said Abedini's Tehran-based institution manufactures navigation systems for the subject drone programme of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

Iran's embassy to Italy has connected Sala's destiny to that of Abedini, saying successful a connection posted to X that it volition respect Sala’s rights and expects Italy to bash the aforesaid for Abedini.

Traditionally, Iran has enjoyed calm diplomatic relations with Italy compared to different European nations specified arsenic the UK, France and Germany.

Those countries routinely impeach Tehran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia and producing weapon-grade uranium, charges Iran denies.