Launching military drills, Iran says it is not next after Syria

“The subject of Italy’s negotiations with Iranian officials has been the release of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi in exchange for Cecilia Sala,” the daily reported.

Although La Repubblica linked Sala’s case to a potential swap involving Abedini, sources in the Italian Foreign Ministry denied he was part of the negotiations. Some officials also ruled out financial exchanges.

Cecilia Sala, 29, a newspaper journalist and podcaster, has been jailed in Iran on unknown charges for over a week.

Her arrest is widely seen as retaliation for the arrest of Abedini, whom US authorities say provided materials for a deadly Iran-linked drone attack on US troops in Jordan.

He was apprehended at Milan’s Malpensa Airport on December 16 and investigators found in his luggage electronic components linked to the US charges.

Earlier this month, the US Justice Department charged Abedini and another Iranian, Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi - who was arrested in the United States - with conspiring to export sensitive US technology to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Iran last week summoned a senior Italian diplomat and the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents US interests in the country, over the US and Italian arrest of the two Iranians, Iranian media reported.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani are leading diplomatic efforts, supported by Italy’s External Intelligence and Security Agency (AISE), Italian news outlets reported.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs initially kept Sala’s arrest confidential, aiming for a quiet resolution, the newspaper reported. Her detention has again highlighted Iran’s use of foreign detainees as leverage in international negotiations.

'Hostage-taking'

The International Federation of Journalists called for Sala’s immediate release, with secretary-general Anthony Bellanger condemning Tehran’s tactics as political leverage.

Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi echoed the criticism, describing Sala’s detention as hostage-taking and extortion and warning that such practices would persist without stronger Western policies.

Prior to her detention, Sala had reported on contentious topics in Iran, including widespread defiance of mandatory hijab laws and the presidency of Masoud Pezeshkian.

As diplomatic talks continue, the case highlights broader tensions over Iran’s exploitation of detainees for political gains, a practice condemned by rights groups and Western nations.

“The powerful Armed Forces of Iran, with full strength and complete readiness, are always prepared to deliver a decisive and crushing response to any threat,” said the General Staff of the Armed Forces in a statement on Saturday.

The recent overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has dealt a significant blow to Iran's influence in the Middle East.

As a key ally and conduit for Iranian support to groups like Hezbollah, Assad's government was central to Iran's proxies. His fall disrupts these alliances and supply routes, diminishing Iran's regional leverage.

“The majority of these deaths were due to cardiovascular diseases, strokes, respiratory issues, and cancers,” Raisi said in a Saturday interview.

He described the growing toll as a public health crisis, urging immediate action to improve air quality.

Air pollution in Iran has become a critical public health concern, particularly in major cities like Tehran, Ahvaz, and Isfahan. It is driven by factors such as high levels of vehicle emissions, industrial activities, reliance on low-quality fuel, and natural phenomena like dust storms.

Sadeghi was indicted on December 19, along with the arrest of Mohammad Abedini in Milan, Italy, who was also involved in illegal military technology transfers to Iran.

Sadeghi, a dual US-Iranian citizen, was charged with violating US export control and sanctions laws. His arrest on December 16 led to his dismissal from Analog Devices, where he had worked since 2019. Prosecutors allege that Sadeghi used his position to facilitate the procurement of US-origin electronic components for San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co, an Iranian navigation systems manufacturer headed by Mohammad Abedini.

On Friday, news emerged that an Italian reporter, Cecelia Sala, 29, was detained in Iran on the same day when the news about Sadeghi and Abedini became public. In the past, Iran has detained foreigners in similar cases to later exchange them with its agents arrested in the West.

According to prosecutors, Abedini's company supplied navigation systems to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for use in military drones. One such drone was reportedly involved in an attack on Tower 22, a US outpost near the Syrian border in Jordan, which killed three Army Reserve soldiers and injured 47 others.

The White House attributed the attack to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militant groups. Iran, however, has denied involvement, with its foreign ministry calling the arrests of Sadeghi and Abedini a violation of international law.

Court filings reveal that Sadeghi traveled to Iran in 2016 seeking funding for a startup. Through an affiliated company, he allegedly began procuring U.S. technology for Abedini’s firm. Prosecutors claim that, after joining Analog Devices, Sadeghi helped Abedini’s Swiss front company secure contracts with the Massachusetts-based firm, allowing Abedini to access sensitive technology.

The components procured were reportedly used in the navigation system of the drone involved in the attack.

Sadeghi has remained in custody since his arrest. A hearing is scheduled for January 2 to determine potential bail conditions as discussions between the defense and prosecutors continue.

"You will see that our power has not diminished, contrary to what the enemy claims in its psychological warfare, but has actually increased," Iranian media quoted Iran's Defense Minister, Brigadier General Aziz Nassirzadeh as saying.

"Today, some deliberately and others inadvertently present analyses suggesting the weakening of resistance," he added.

"I believe these individuals fail to grasp the essence of resistance, which is an ideology," Nassirzadeh added, referring to the strength of Iran's allied groups in the region despite the setbacks.

In October 26 retaliatory strikes again Iran, Israel took out nearly all of Iran’s air defense system, according to Western officials including the UK's Chief of Defense Staff.

Israel has decimated Hamas infrastructure in Gaza, assassinated many of its leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, and targeted Hezbollah’s commanders after killing successive leaders of the Lebanese group.

Notwithstanding, Iranian officials including the country's ultimate military decision maker, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, described the conflict as a victory.