Italy has applied to revoke the arrest of Iranian engineer Abedini Najafabadi Mohammad, who was detained in Milan just days before Iranian authorities arrested Italian journalist Cecilia Sala. The application, filed on Saturday by Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, seeks to overturn the arrest of Mohammad, who was apprehended at Milan Malpensa Airport on December 16 under a US warrant.
The Milan Court of Appeal is set to hold a hearing on Wednesday to decide whether to extradite Mohammad to the United States. However, even if the court rules in favor of extradition, Nordio has the authority to reject the decision and choose to keep him in Italy.
The move has raised suspicions among political commentators, who speculate that a potential agreement was reached between Italy and Iran. It is believed that Italy may have promised not to extradite Mohammad to the US in exchange for Iran’s release of Cecilia Sala. Sala, a freelance journalist for Il Foglio newspaper and Chora Media, was arrested in Tehran just three days after Mohammad’s detention. She was held for 21 days in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison before being freed and returning to Italy on January 8.
The US Justice Department accuses Mohammad and another Iranian citizen of supplying Iran with drone technology that was allegedly used in a January 2024 attack on a US outpost in Jordan, resulting in the deaths of three American soldiers.
The timing of the two arrests has fueled speculation about a potential diplomatic deal between Italy and Iran. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently visited the Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, owned by former US President Donald Trump, adding to the intrigue surrounding the situation. However, no official confirmation has been made by the US, Italy, or Iran regarding whether any such deal has been struck.
The case remains at the center of international attention, with both Italy and Iran closely monitoring the developments. Mohammad’s fate now lies in the hands of the Milan Court of Appeal, which will decide whether he will be extradited to face charges in the US or remain in Italy, amid the ongoing geopolitical tension.
