Iran’s Foreign Ministry and judiciary have confirmed the release of Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian national arrested in Italy at the request of the United States. The official news outlet, Mizan, described the arrest as a ‘misunderstanding’ and Abedini was returned to Tehran. The Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, welcomed the release and emphasized the ministry’s commitment to defending the rights of Iranian citizens abroad. Meanwhile, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained in Tehran, raising questions about the larger geopolitical context of these events. It seems that in the grand chess game of global diplomacy, these individuals are mere pawns.