Italy’s justice minister has requested the revocation of the arrest of an Iranian man sought by america for allegedly offering materials utilized in a drone assault that killed three American troopers, the Italian authorities introduced on Sunday.
Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, 38, was arrested final month in Milan and the U.S. Justice Division had requested for his extradition. He was charged with illegally offering materials used within the assault by an Iranian-backed militia on an American navy base in Jordan.
On Sunday night, IRNA, Iran’s state information company, reported that Mr. Abedini had reached Tehran. Regardless of repeated requests for affirmation, Italy has not but introduced that it freed the person or that he left the nation.
The Italian ministry’s request, which was filed to a courtroom, got here solely days after Iran freed an Italian reporter, Cecilia Sala, who had been arrested in Iran three days after Mr. Abedini was detained. She was arrested on accusations of violating the legal guidelines of the Islamic Republic, although the Iranian authorities by no means offered particulars.
Whereas the Italian authorities by no means confirmed any connection between the 2 instances, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mentioned final week that Ms. Sala’s launch was the results of a diplomatic “triangulation” with america and Iran.
On Sunday, the Italian Justice Ministry mentioned it had not had the grounds to extradite Mr. Abedini. A U.S. Justice Division spokesman declined to remark.
IRNA, citing the judiciary’s media heart, reported on Sunday that Mr. Abedini’s arrest had been a misunderstanding that was resolved with diplomacy between Iran and Italy and cooperation between Iran’s and Italy’s intelligence companies.
In Sunday’s authorities assertion, Italy’s Justice Ministry mentioned that in line with the extradition treaty between Italy and america, an individual might be extradited just for crimes which might be punished in each international locations. Mr. Abedini’s case, they mentioned, didn’t match the standards.
One of many crimes that he’s accused of — conspiring to export refined digital parts in violation of U.S. export management and sanctions legal guidelines — will not be punished in Italy, the ministry mentioned.
Italy’s Justice Ministry additionally mentioned that it had not obtained proof to justify one other accusation leveled towards Mr. Abedini: that he offered materials help to a overseas terrorist group. The Justice Ministry mentioned that it knew solely that Mr. Abedini produced and traded applied sciences with Iran that had potential, however not unique, navy use.
Leily Nikounazar contributed reporting from Brussels, and Devlin Barrett from Washington.
