According to a statement released by the office of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni on Wednesday, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been released from detention in Iran and is returning home via plane.
Sala, 29, was arrested in Tehran on December 19 and imprisoned in solitary confinement at the renowned Evin jail in the Iranian capital. Sala had been working under a normal journalistic visa.
Sala’s arrest came three days after Iranian businessman Muhammad Abedini was taken into custody at Milan’s Malpensa Airport on a U.S. warrant for allegedly delivering drone parts that Washington claims were used in an attack in Jordan in 2024 that killed three U.S. service members.
Iran has denied having anything to do with the attack.
Intense efforts on diplomatic and intelligence channels resulted in Sala’s release, according to the Italian statement. The Abedini case was not mentioned. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Abedini is still incarcerated in Milan.
Meloni posted on X, “I would like to thank everyone who made Cecilia’s return possible.” When Sala arrived in Rome later Wednesday, the Italian prime minister was supposed to see her face-to-face.
Sala is employed by the podcast Chora Media and the newspaper Il Foglio. Meloni, who had worried that the matter may linger on for weeks, has won diplomatically with her prompt release.
The Italian leader surprised everyone by traveling to Florida over the weekend to meet with Donald Trump, the next president of the United States. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said that they had spoken about Sala’s predicament, but no specifics of the discussions were made public.
According to one Italian publication, Trump had approved a plan to ensure Sala’s release, provided it took place prior to his inauguration on January 20. Regarding the report, Meloni’s office remained silent.
Numerous foreigners and dual nationalities have been arrested by Iran’s security forces in recent years, primarily on espionage and security-related allegations. Rights organizations have charged that Iran uses these arrests to pressure other nations into making concessions. Iran disputes this.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, claimed on Sunday that Abedini’s imprisonment constituted to hostage-taking.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!