The handling of the case of Cecilia Sala, the journalist arrested in Tehran on December 19 and released yesterday, was "the Italian government's, from start to finish". The United States welcomes the release of the reporter from Foglio and Chora Media after 21 days of captivity, but stresses that it had no role in the affair, nor does it intend to comment on the extradition of Iranian engineer Mohammed Abedini Najafabadi, the drone man arrested in Malpensa at Washington's request three days before Sala's arrest in Tehran.
"The case of Cecilia Sala was an Italian government decision from start to finish and it is Rome that must answer specific questions," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby explained during a briefing with a small group of journalists, a few hours after the reporter's arrival in Ciampino. "Unfortunately," the official stressed, "the Iranian regime continues to unjustly detain people from many other countries, often for political leverage, and every one of them should be released now." The White House also reiterated that "the critical work done by journalists, including Cecilia Sala, to inform the public often in incredibly dangerous situations like this, should be protected by any government."
Before Kirby's clear statement, State Department sources had informed ANSA that he would not answer specific questions about the case because, as the White House official later reiterated, "it is up to the Italian government to do so." As for the Abedini case, whose fate has become intertwined in recent days with that of the Italian journalist, State Department sources also clarified that they did not want to comment. The engineer, detained in Opera prison, is accused of having passed components to Tehran for the assembly of Shahed, the terrible drones that a year ago in an attack in Jordan caused the death of three American soldiers.
The hearing to decide on house arrest is scheduled for January 15, but Washington has already made it clear that it is against his release, given the previous escape of Russian arms dealer Artem Uss , who escaped from house arrest in Italy in March 2023. While not commenting on the individual case, the United States stressed that it "remains quite concerned about Iran's proliferation of increasingly advanced and lethal drones and its continued support for terrorist groups that represent the principal threats to peace and stability in the region." The United States, the official assured ANSA, "remains committed to using all available tools to counter the full range of Iran's destabilizing actions."
(Online Union)