Italy's Nordio Seeks Release of Swiss-Iranian Engineer Abedini, Denies US Extradition Request

Jan 12, 2025, 01:04 PM

Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has requested the revocation of the arrest of 38-year-old Swiss-Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who has been detained in Milan's Opera penitentiary since December 26 at the request of the United States. The US accuses Abedini of supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and violating US export and sanctions laws, alleging he supplied drone parts used in a 2024 attack that killed three US soldiers in Iraq. Nordio's ministry stated that there is no evidence to support the accusations or that Abedini supported terrorism, and that the conditions for his extradition are not met. The formal request was filed with the Milan Court of Appeal, invoking Article 2 of the extradition treaty between the US and Italy, which allows for refusal if the act is not a crime in both countries.