On Thursday, Italy summoned Iran’s ambassador to demand the release of an Italian journalist, while Tehran called for the release of an Iranian citizen arrested in Italy under a U.S. warrant related to a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops last year. These developments highlight a growing diplomatic standoff involving the two countries and the United States.
The situation began on December 16, 2024, when the U.S. Justice Department charged two Iranian nationals for allegedly supplying the drone technology used in a January 2024 attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan, resulting in the deaths of three American soldiers. One of the accused, Mohammad Abedini, was detained at Milan’s Malpensa airport that day on a U.S. extradition request.
Shortly after, on December 19, 2024, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who had arrived in Tehran on December 13 with a journalist visa, was arrested by Iranian authorities on charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic. Sala works for the Italian daily newspaper Il Foglio.
The Italian and Iranian governments made public statements on Thursday regarding the situation, signaling the cases are linked as both nations seek the release of their detained citizens. Each country claims that their national is being unjustly held.
The Iranian Embassy in Italy described the meeting between Ambassador Mohammadreza Sabouri and Riccardo Guariglia, the Italian foreign ministry’s secretary-general, as cordial. However, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the embassy demanded the release of Abedini, calling the charges against him “false” and adding that Iran expected similar treatment for Sala. Tehran emphasized that Sala was being treated humanely, especially during the holiday period, and called for Abedini’s release along with proper care while in detention.
U.S. federal prosecutors have charged Abedini and another individual with violating export controls after FBI experts traced the drone technology used in the attack in Jordan back to them. Abedini’s company in Tehran is alleged to have manufactured the navigation systems for drones used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The situation is complicated by a long history of Iran using detainees with Western ties as bargaining chips, dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis. Some Italian commentators have speculated that Iran might be holding Sala to pressure Italy into securing Abedini’s release.
The Italian foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to demand Sala’s release and ensure her treatment in accordance with human rights, including consular access. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also convened a high-level meeting with the justice and foreign ministers to discuss the cases of both Sala and Abedini and met with Sala’s mother. Meloni’s office reaffirmed Italy’s demand for Sala’s immediate release and humane treatment during her detention.
Regarding Abedini, Italy reiterated its commitment to treating all individuals equally, in accordance with Italian laws and international conventions. Abedini’s Italian lawyer had requested house arrest, but the Milan court rejected the request, citing concerns that he could flee, particularly since the proposed residence was owned by the Iranian government.
Meanwhile, Sala’s mother, Elisabetta Vernoni, expressed her desire for her daughter’s safe return. In a statement to reporters after the meeting with Meloni, Vernoni shared that her daughter had informed her she was being held in a cell used for punishing prisoners. “Prison conditions for a 29-year-old girl who has done nothing must be such that they cannot scar her for life,” Vernoni said.
As both nations continue to press for the release of their citizens, the diplomatic tension remains high, with each side calling for justice and humane treatment of those detained.
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