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An Italian journalist detained in Iran last month has been released and is flying back to Rome, according to the Italian government.
Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on December 19, three days after an Iranian engineer was detained by Italian authorities in Milan on suspicion of supplying the drone technology that killed American soldiers.
Reports said she was being held in solitary confinement in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.
It’s unclear what led to Sala’s release, but the news was released by Georgia Premier Maloney’s officials, who cited “intensive work through diplomatic and intelligence channels.”
In an Italian statement, Meloni thanked “all those who contributed to make Cecilia’s return possible.”
She personally informed Sal’s parents of her release, it added. Sala’s plane had already left Tehran and was due to arrive in Rome at 15:30 (14:30 GMT) on Wednesday, Ansa news agency reported.
Her partner, fellow journalist Daniele Raineri, told Ansa: “I spoke to her and she told me: ‘I’ll see you soon’, she was emotional and happy.”
Cecilia Sala’s detention in a Tehran prison has outraged Italians and made headlines since her employer, podcast company Chora Media, announced her arrest on December 27.
Maloney is understood to have taken personal responsibility for her case and met with US President-elect Donald Trump at the weekend when the journalist’s detention was believed to be discussed.
Outgoing President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Rome this week.
Iran initially said it detained Sal for “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic”, but US State Department officials said it may be related to the arrest of Iranian national Mohammad Abedini at Milan’s Malpensa airport on 16 December.
He was arrested on a US warrant, and one official told Italian media that Sala was being used as “political leverage”.
Mohammad Abedini is due to stand trial in Milan on January 15, and Tehran has played down any link between the two cases in recent days.
Italian foreign intelligence chief Giovanni Caravelli is said to have personally traveled to Tehran to bring Sala back to Italy.
Her father, Renato Sala, told Ansa that he was proud of her and praised the government for its “exceptional work”.
He said he got the impression that the situation had turned into “a game of chess, but with more than two players.”
