The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Wednesday that Italian journalist Cecilia Sala had been released from Iranian custody and was taking a plane home. Sala, 29, was arrested in Tehran on December 19 and kept in solitary confinement in the infamous Evin jail in the Iranian capital. Sala had been working under a normal journalistic visa.
Three days after Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini was detained in Milan on a US warrant for allegedly selling drone parts that Washington claims were used in an attack in Jordan in 2024 that killed three US service men, Sala was captured. Iran has denied having anything to do with the attack.
Sala was released “thanks to intense work on diplomatic and intelligence channels,” 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.
Over the weekend, the Italian leader unexpectedly traveled to Florida to meet with Donald Trump, the US president-elect. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini stated that they had spoken about Sala’s predicament, but no more information about the discussions was disclosed.
Also Read:
One of the Most well-Liked Places for New Year’s Eve Festivities is Dubai
