The Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested on December 19 in Iran for “violating the laws” of the Islamic Republic, has been released and is returning home, the Italian government announced today.

“Our compatriot has been released by the Iranian authorities and is returning to Italy, the Italian government clarified in a statement. “The aircraft in which journalist Cecilia Sala was repatriated took off a few minutes ago, the statement added.

Sala, 29, who works at the newspaper Il Foglio and the podcast website Chora Media and had a journalist visa, was arrested in Tehran on December 19. She was held in solitary confinement in the Iranian capital’s notorious Evin prison.

Sala was arrested three days after Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini was arrested at Milan airport. He was issued an arrest warrant by the US against him for providing drone parts that Washington says were used in an attack released in 2024 that caused the deaths of three US soldiers serving in Jordan.

The Italian government’s statement today clarified that Sala was released thanks to intensive efforts through diplomacy and intelligence agencies, with no mention of Abedini’s case.