Italy frees Iranian held on US warrant days after release of journalist held in Tehran
Italy’s justice minister on Sunday asked an appeals court to revoke the arrest of an Iranian citizen wanted by the US over a 2024 drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans. Mohammad Abedini's release comes days after Iran freed Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from a Tehran jail following intense diplomatic efforts by Rome.
Iran announced on Sunday that a national held in Italy will return "in the coming hours", shortly after Rome said it was seeking to revoke his arrest and extradition warrant.
Mohammad Abedini, 38, who was arrested in Italy last month at the behest of the United States, will return to Tehran "in the coming hours," the Iranian judiciary's official news agency Mizan Online said in a statement.
The website said that following consultations between the Iran's foreign and intelligence ministries and Italy's intelligence service, "the problem was resolved and led to his release and return".
Washington had accused Abedini of supplying sophisticated drone navigation technology to Iran's military, in violation of US sanctions.
The components were later used in a January drone strike at a Jordanian military base near the Syrian border that killed three American service members, according to US justice authorities.
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.
Nordio's request came four days after Sala's release, but Tehran has denied any links between her case and Abedini's.
He remains in a US jail.
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