Italy-Iran diplomatic tangle escalates over detained citizens as US seeks man over drone attack

ROME — Italy summoned Iran’s ambassador on Thursday to demand the release of an Italian journalist while Tehran demanded Italy free an Iranian citizen arrested on a U.S. warrant over a drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans a year ago. U.S. prosecutors said Abedini’s Tehran-based company manufactures navigation systems for the military drone program of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Italian foreign ministry said it summoned Sabouri, the Iranian ambassador, to demand Sala’s release and ensure “dignified detention conditions in full respect of human rights,” including consular access and visitation. “The circumstances represented in the request, particularly the provision of an apartment and financial support from Iran’s consulate … do not constitute an adequate guarantee against the danger of flight of the Iranian national whose extradition the U.S. has requested,” the adnkronos news agency reported, citing a statement from Nanni that was confirmed by her office.