TEHRAN, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned Italian Ambassador to Tehran Paola Amadei for her country's detention of Iranian national Mohammad Abedini.
The Italian envoy was summoned by Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, director for Western European nations at Iran's Foreign Ministry, to protest Italy's detention of Abedini, who was arrested by Italian authorities on Dec. 16, 2024, at Milan's Malpensa Airport after flying in from Istanbul and is currently being held in a Milan jail, according to the ministry's statement.
The Iranian's arrest was made at the request of the United States, which has accused him of providing materials for a drone attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. The attack killed three U.S. service members.
During the meeting, the Iranian diplomat condemned the arrest as "illegal," asserting that it reflected "the proven political and hostile objectives of the United States to take Iranian nationals hostage under extraterritorial enforcement of its domestic laws."
He further urged Italy to reject what he described as a U.S. policy of "hostage-taking" and called for Abedini's immediate release to prevent further harm to bilateral ties.
The diplomatic exchange comes amid reports of Iran's detention of an Italian journalist. Cecilia Sala, who arrived in Iran on Dec. 13, 2024 with a press visa, was arrested on Dec. 19, 2024 for allegedly "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic," according to a statement from Iran's Ministry of Culture.
Iran's Ambassador to Italy, Mohammad-Reza Sabouri, met with Italy's Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Riccardo Guariglia on Thursday to discuss the cases of both detained nationals, Iranian state media reported. ■
