Today, Italy released Iranian citizen Mohammed Abedini, who was wanted by the US for a drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans, BTA reports.
With the decision to release him, the country signaled the importance of diplomatic relations and the legal peculiarities that shaped this case.
Mohammed Abedini, arrested by Italian authorities on December 16 at the request of the US, was detained in connection with the January 2024 attack on a US military post in Jordan.
The attack involved the use of drones, parts for which were supplied by Abedini. Despite Washington's request for his extradition, the Italian Justice Ministry insisted that the charges did not meet the criteria for extradition under inter-agency treaties because the crime was not recognized as illegal under Italian law.
This legal gap is the basis for the court's release order and Abedini's return to Iran.
After his release, Iranian state television reported that efforts to resolve the case were continuing at the diplomatic level.
The involvement of the Iranian Foreign Ministry and close coordination with the Italian intelligence service played a crucial role.
The release of Mohammed Abedini was part of a diplomatic deal that also involved the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala.
Negotiations between the countries and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made possible the “diplomatic triangulation“ to lead to successful results for the release of both Sala and Abedini.