Italy must “reject US hostage-taking policy, which is contrary to international law, especially human rights, to pave the grounds for Mr. Abedini's release as soon as possible, and to prevent the US from harming Tehran-Rome bilateral relations,” Majid Nili, director general for European affairs at the foreign affairs ministry, said on Friday, IRNA News Agency reported.
Mohammad Abedini was arrested in Italy on December 16. He is wanted in the US for “conspiring to export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws,” said the US Attorney’s Office.
Three days after Abedini was arrested, an Italian journalist was detained in Iran.
Cecilia Sala is a reporter for Il Foglio, an Italian daily newspaper, and also works for the podcast company Choro Media.
Iran stated last week that she was detained for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic.
On Thursday, Rome summoned the Iranian ambassador about Sala’s detention. The Italian government is “working tirelessly to bring her home,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X.
Tehran has been accused of “hostage diplomacy,” detaining foreign nationals on charges such as espionage as leverage on the international stage.
Iranian authorities have also cracked down on the media in an effort to limit reporting on its human rights record. Dozens of journalists were detained by Iranian authorities in late 2022 and early 2023 for covering the nationwide protest movement following the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
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