Middle East News
Iran summons Italian ambassador over weapons-smuggling arrests
Mar 5, 2010, 8:24 GMT
Tehran - Iran has summoned the Italian ambassador over the arrests of two Iranians accused of being involved in smuggling weapons to Iran, the Fars news agency reported Friday.
Italian police on Wednesday carried out raids on people who included members of the Iranian secret services.
Several Iranians and Italians were reportedly arrested, including the Rome correspondent of the Iranian state television network IRIB, Hamid Massouminejad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told Fars that the Italian envoy was asked by Tehran to explain the arrests of the two Iranians.
The spokesman said the arrest of the IRIB correspondent in particular indicated the 'start of a new game with still ambiguous aims.'
According to Italian media, Italians and other foreigners have been illegally exporting weapons to Iran, which is under an international arms embargo.
Police reportedly had nine arrest warrants although it was unclear how many people were actually arrested.
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