The arrest in Milan of Iranian expert Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi looks like another poisoned hot dog left for Trump by the Biden administration.
Najafabadi is described by Western media as “the Drone Man” of Iran, one of the brains behind the development of Tehran’s independent capability to produce and export military drones. A resident of Switzerland, where he earned a doctorate some years ago, he was living in Italy where he was arrested on Dec. 16 at the Milan airport, following a U.S. warrant issued three days earlier. After his arrest, the U.S. submitted an extradition request. American authorities accuse Najafabadi of having supplied navigation systems for the drones that killed three American soldiers in Jordan (Jan. 24, 2024). Najafabadi has claimed complete innocence, insisting that he is just an engineer.
Three days after his arrest, Iranian police arrested an Italian journalist, Cecilia Sala, under undisclosed allegations. Sala is now being held in a Tehran prison and it is generally understood that her arrest was in reaction to the arrest of Najafabadi in Italy.
Italian authorities are now in a difficult position. If they cave in to U.S. pressures, Ms. Sala will presumably not be released, which threatens to become an albatross around Meloni’s neck. If they release Najafabadi, they will disappoint their Anglo-American masters. Any residual dignity, however, would demand exactly that.
