Italy says no US extradition request for detained Iranian businessman so far

The United States has not submitted any formal request of extradition for an Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini detained in Milan, Italy's justice minister said in an interview published on Thursday.

"The matter of Abedini is purely legal ... regardless of the (freeing of Italian journalist) Cecilia Sala. It is premature to talk of extradition, also because no formal request has been sent to our ministry so far," Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told daily La Stampa.

Abedini is wanted by the United States on suspicion of involvement in a drone strike against U.S. forces in Jordan. Iran has denied involvement and said last week the detention of the Iranian national amounted to hostage-taking.

His arrest has been linked to the detention three days later of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala, who was seized in Tehran on Dec. 19 while working under a regular journalistic visa and freed on Jan. 8.