Italian Prime Minister Meloni is flying to the US to meet with Trump, according to Italian media Reuters
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is flying to Florida to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, Italian media reported on Saturday.
The meeting, if confirmed, will take place at a time when Meloni faces a foreign policy test following the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran on December 19 while working on a regular journalist’s visa.
Sala’s arrest comes three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milan’s Malpensa airport on a US warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2023 attack that killed three US service members in Jordan. . Iran has denied involvement in the attack.
“We are not discussing meetings that may or may not have taken place, but it is no surprise that world leaders have reached out to President Trump following his historic victory to develop better relations with the United States,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said.
Meloni’s office did not immediately comment on media reports, citing unspecified sources, that she plans to meet with Trump.
On Friday, Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Italian ambassador over Abedini’s detention, Iranian state media reported.
State media reported that an Iranian foreign ministry official “called on Italy to reject the US hostage policy – which is contrary to international law, especially human rights – and facilitate the release of Mr. Abedini as soon as possible and prevent the deterioration of bilateral ties.”
Abedini is in jail and a court is scheduled to decide later this month whether to grant him house arrest while judges consider a US extradition request.
Italian media reported that Sala was in solitary confinement in an ice-cold cell with neon lights left on day and night, that her glasses were taken away and that she had almost no contact with the outside world.
