A group close to the son of the last king of Iran states that Mehdi Khosravi, an activist and blogger for this group, has been "arrested in Italy at Tehran's request" in connection with "embezzlement." Khosravi is a "refugee residing in Britain" and a member of the "National Council of Iran" (full name: National Council of Iran for Free Elections). This council is a coalition of various figures, organizations, and groups opposing the Iranian government, led by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last king of Iran. The organization claims its goal is to establish a "democratic and secular government" in Iran. Nazila Golestan, a member of the political office of the National Council, confirmed Khosravi's arrest in an interview and stated that, through the efforts of this organization, the Italian government has agreed to halt his extradition to Iran. However, Golestan added that Khosravi is still in Italy and has not managed to return to Britain. Previously, Reza Pahlavi had also written a letter to Matteo Renzi, the Prime Minister of Italy, stating that Khosravi was a refugee in Britain and had entered Italy on August 6 (three days ago). According to Pahlavi, he was arrested based on the claim that his name is on the international police list due to a complaint from the Islamic Republic's police, and returning him to Iran would expose him to the risk of torture and execution. Pahlavi requested the Italian Prime Minister to intervene personally in this matter. Golestan mentioned that this was Khosravi's second trip to Italy, and he had traveled with his refugee documents to other parts of Europe, including France and Germany, without any issues. She stated that Khosravi's arrest occurred not at the airport but at his residence. This member of the National Council indicated that since the embezzlement charge does not carry the death penalty in Italy, they would return the arrested individual to Iran, but he might face other charges in Iran that could carry the death penalty. According to Golestan, a witness at the scene saw the arrest and reported that the Italian police stated the arrest was related to "embezzlement charges from Iran." Iranian officials have not reacted to this matter.
An Opposition Group Against the Iranian Government: Our Member Arrested in Italy at Tehran's Request
Mehdi Khosravi, a member of the National Council of Iran and a refugee in Britain, was arrested in Italy at the request of Tehran for alleged embezzlement. The National Council claims that his extradition to Iran poses a risk of torture and execution. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between Iranian opposition groups and the Iranian government.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iran requested the arrest of activist Mehdi Khosravi in Italy on embezzlement charges.
- Italian police arrest Mehdi Khosravi
- Reza Pahlavi request Matteo Renzi
- Nazila Golestan confirm Mehdi Khosravi
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The arrest of Khosravi underscores the Iranian regime's reach beyond its borders.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%