Italian Journalist Freed from Detention in Iran, Returning Home

ROME (AP) — An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks was released on Wednesday and was on her way home, following a diplomatic situation linked to the arrest of an Iranian engineer in Italy, who is wanted by the United States.

A plane carrying 29-year-old Cecilia Sala departed Tehran after intensive diplomatic and intelligence efforts, according to a statement from the office of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who personally informed Sala's parents of her release.

Iranian media reported the journalist's release, referencing foreign news sources, though Iranian officials made no immediate comment.

Sala, a reporter for the Italian daily Il Foglio, was arrested in Tehran on December 19, just days after arriving on a journalist visa. She was accused of violating Iran's laws, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Italian analysts speculated that Sala's detention may have been linked to Iran’s efforts to leverage her release for the freedom of Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian engineer arrested at Milan’s Malpensa airport on December 16 under a U.S. warrant.

The U.S. Justice Department has charged Abedini and another Iranian national with providing drone technology to Iran, which was used in a January 2024 attack on a U.S. outpost in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of three American troops.

Abedini remains in custody in Italy but has requested house arrest pending an extradition hearing before a Milan court.

The release of Sala was met with widespread celebration in Italy, where her detention had dominated headlines.

It followed a surprise trip by Premier Giorgia Meloni to Florida last weekend, where she met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

In a statement on X, Meloni expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to Cecilia’s return, allowing her to reunite with her family and colleagues.

Meloni’s visit to Trump significantly boosted her international standing, strengthening Italy’s position in the negotiations, according to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.

Any time you reinforce the credibility of a country’s leader in a critical moment, it strengthens the nation, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Italy’s Sky TG24.

Sala’s case became closely linked to that of Abedini, with each country’s foreign ministry summoning the other’s ambassador to demand the release of the detainee and humane detention conditions. This diplomatic impasse was particularly challenging for Italy, which is a long-time ally of the United States but also maintains strong relations with Tehran.

Members of Meloni’s cabinet took a personal interest in the case due to its significant geopolitical implications. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Crosetto praised the diplomatic efforts that led to Sala’s release, calling it a major domestic and international victory for Meloni.

However, the release also presented a delicate political dilemma for Italy, considering Abedini’s status. The United States has previously raised concerns when Italy lost track of suspects awaiting extradition hearings.

Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, which had condemned Sala’s detention as an attack on press freedom, celebrated her release.

Now, the 25 journalists still held in Iranian prisons must also be freed, the group stated in a social media post.

Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, during which dozens of hostages were released after 444 days in captivity, Iran has frequently used prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in diplomatic negotiations.

In September 2023, five Americans who had been detained for years in Iran were freed in exchange for five Iranians held in U.S. custody, as well as $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets released by South Korea.

Western journalists have also been detained in Iran. In 2009, American journalist Roxana Saberi was held for around 100 days before being released.

Another high-profile case involved Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who was detained for over 540 days before being freed in a 2016 prisoner swap between Iran and the U.S.

In both instances, Iran made false espionage accusations, with hearings conducted behind closed doors.