Iranian ambassador summoned to Italian MFA

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the unacceptable response to women-led protests in the Islamic republic, his office said Tuesday.

Ambassador designate Mohammad Reza Sabouri has been called in to a meeting on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said in a note to the media, AFP reported.

Tajani has previously condemned the situation in Iran as an "unacceptable shame", saying Rome took a "hard line" in defense of women.

He said, however, that new Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government wanted to "keep open the door to diplomacy" with Tehran, notably over Iran's nuclear program.