Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Iranian ambassador to denounce the
"unacceptable"
response to the demonstrations born of the mobilization of women for three months in this country, his services said on Tuesday.
Charge d'Affaires Mohammad Reza Sabouri was called in for an interview on Wednesday, the ministry said in a statement.
'Unacceptable shame'
Antonio Tajani previously called the situation in Iran an
"unacceptable disgrace"
, saying Italy had taken a
"hard line"
in defending Iranian women.
On December 22, however, he declared that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government wanted to
"leave the door open to diplomacy",
particularly regarding Tehran's nuclear program.
Iran is rocked by protests sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who had been arrested by vice squad for violating the Islamic Republic's strict dress code.
Iran this month executed two men in connection with the protests, in an escalating crackdown by authorities that activists say is aimed at spreading fear among the population.
At least 100 Iranians arrested in more than 100 days of protests face charges carrying the death penalty, Iran Human Rights (IHR), an Oslo-based NGO, said on Tuesday.
