Lawyer: Iranian reporter jailed in Rome in arms trafficking probe gets house arrest

Lawyer: Iranian in Italy arms probe out of jail

ROME — A lawyer for an Iranian journalist jailed in Rome in March in a probe of alleged arms sales to Iran in defiance of an international embargo says his client’s been given house arrest.

Fabio Belardi said Thursday the judge refused to release Hamid Masoumi Nejad unconditionally but instead ordered house arrest.

He said the Iranian state TV correspondent will be allowed to work weekdays at the Foreign Press Association office.

Courts were closed for the day. The Milan prosecutor who led the probe couldn’t be reached for comment.

Also arrested were five Italians and another Iranian, and two other Iranians were sought. Prosecutors alleged the arms were being shipped through third countries to try to avoid the scrutiny of the arms embargo against Iran.