ROME (Reuters) – The United States has not submitted a formal extradition request for Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini detained in Milan, Italy’s justice minister said in an interview published on Thursday.
“The Abedini affair is purely legal… regardless of the (release of Italian journalist) Cecilia Sala. It is premature to talk about extradition, especially because no formal request has been sent to our ministry until now,” Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said. declared to the daily La Stampa.
Abedini is wanted by the United States on suspicion of involvement in a drone strike against American forces in Jordan. Iran has denied any involvement and said last week that the detention of the Iranian national amounted to a hostage-taking.
His arrest is linked to the arrest, three days later, of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, arrested in Tehran on December 19 while working on a regular journalist visa and released on January 8.
