During the meeting, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, Director General for Western Europe at the Foreign Ministry, described the arrest of Iranian citizen Mohammad Abedini as an illegal act carried out at the request of the U.S. government.
The Iranian official stated that Abedini’s detention reflects Washington’s ongoing political and hostile approach of targeting Iranian citizens worldwide through the extraterritorial application of U.S. domestic laws.
Nili emphasized that the detention not only undermines the long-standing relations between Iran and Italy but also violates international legal principles, including human rights standards, and constitutes a form of arbitrary detention.
He urged Italy to reject the U.S. policy of hostage-taking and called on Rome to take immediate steps to secure Mr. Abedini’s release, thereby preventing any harm to bilateral relations caused by external pressures.
In response, the Italian ambassador assured that she would convey Iran’s protest and concerns to her country’s Foreign Ministry in Rome.
