Italy Releases Iranian Citizen Arrested on US Warrant Over Jordan Drone Attack in "Exchange" for Journalist Cecilia Sala?

The release of 29-year-old Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested in Iran, was not natural, but Iran had bargained with the Italian government for this! It can also be said that journalist Cecilia was arrested by Iran after planning only to bargain!

In exchange for the safe return of journalist Cecilia home, Italy on Sunday released Iranian citizen Mohammad Abedini. Abedini was wanted by the US for the drone attack in Jordan a year ago. Three American citizens were killed in that attack.

Mohammad Abedini was imprisoned in Italy. The Italian Law Minister had asked the court to cancel Abedini's arrest. Abedini was arrested on a US warrant on December 16, 2024 and was to be extradited to the US. But on December 19, just three days after her arrest, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained in Tehran during a reporting trip to Iran.

Bentornata Cecilia! pic.twitter.com/iKKjegeS38

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) January 8, 2025

Cecilia Sala is believed to have been detained by Iran to bargain for the release of Abedini, who is wanted in the US. Iranian state TV confirmed on 12 January 2025 that Mohammad Abedini had been released from Italy and returned to Iran. He was to be produced in a Milan court on Wednesday, after which the process of his extradition to the US would have proceeded.

An official note issued by the Italian Justice Ministry on the matter on Sunday said that under the Italy-US agreement, according to the extradition treaties, "only crimes that are punishable according to the laws of both parties can lead to extradition, a situation that, based on the state of the documents, cannot be considered to exist."

The US Justice Department had accused Abedini of supplying drone technology to Iran, which was used in the January 2024 attack on a US checkpoint in Jordan, in which three American soldiers were killed.

Cecilia traveled to Iran on December 13, 2024 with a journalist's visa. She was arrested on December 19, 2024 for violating the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Cecilia was kept in solitary confinement in the Iranian capital's infamous Evin prison.

A memorable moment. She finally returned #Cecilia #cecilialibera #ceciliasalalibera pic.twitter.com/L6G0BKhSes

— VOiCE OF MEDIA (@voiceofmedia1) January 8, 2025

On January 8, 2025, the Italian government announced that Iran had released journalist Cecilia Sala and she returned to her country. But till then no one knew how Cecilia's release was possible?

Now it is almost clear that the release of journalist Cecilia was possible only after agreeing to release the wanted Abedini.