Tehran summons Italian ambassador over detention of citizen at US order

TEHRAN – Tehran has summoned the Italian ambassador to Iran following the continued detention of Iranian citizen Mohammad Abedini by Italian authorities.

On Friday, the Director General for Western Europe at Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Italian Ambassador to express Iran’s strong objections to the arrest and detention of Abedini. According to the Ministry, the detention is “illegal” and was conducted at the request of the United States.  

During the meeting, the Iranian official criticized the “hostile and politically motivated agenda” by the U.S., accusing it of leveraging its domestic laws to target Iranian nationals globally. 

“The detention of Mr. Abedini represents another instance of Washington’s proven efforts to impose the extraterritorial application of its internal regulations, using such measures as a tool for political pressure and hostage-taking,” the Director General stated.  

Iranian citizen Mohammad Abedini, currently imprisoned in Milan, faces charges linked to a January 28 drone attack on a U.S. military outpost in Jordan. Tehran has dismissed the allegations as baseless. 

Italy also summoned Iran’s ambassador to discuss the case of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who entered Iran on December 13 with a journalist visa but was detained six days later for unspecified legal violations. The Iranian Embassy in Rome announced that ambassador Mohammad Reza Sabouri engaged in discussions with Italy’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Riccardo Guariglia, focusing on consular matters and the cases of detained nationals from both countries.  

Ambassador Sabouri highlighted Iran’s efforts to ensure humane treatment for Sala, including granting her access to the Italian Embassy’s consular section and facilitating regular phone calls with her family. He emphasized that these measures reflect Islamic principles of clemency and humanitarianism. Sabouri also urged the Italian government to expedite Abedini’s release and ensure his well-being while in custody.