Italian reporter Cecilia Sala has been freed after three weeks in an Iranian prison and is flying home, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said on Wednesday.

Italian journalist freed from detention in Iran - Journalist Cecilia Sala, 29, left Tehran on Wednesday after being detained there in December

An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks, whose fate became intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer wanted by the United States, was freed Wednesday and is heading home, Italian officials said.

Cecilia Sala, 29, who was detained last month while on a reporting trip, was on a plane home, the Italian government announced.

Tehran denies Sala’s December 19 detainment was linked to an Iranian businessman’s arrest in Italy on a US warrant.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in Iran and is flying home, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office has said. Ms Sala, 29, travelled to Iran on December 13 on a journalist's visa.

Prominent Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been freed from Tehran’s Evin prison for political prisoners where she had been detained since Dec. 19. A spokesman for Italian Premiere Giorgia Meloni's office on Wed.

Cecilia Sala was freed after what the Italian government called "intense" diplomatic work. Iran has been accused of arbitrarily dentaining foreign nationals in order to gain leverage on other governments.

An Italian journalist detained in Iran three weeks ago has been freed. Premier Giorgia Meloni's office said Wednesday that a plane carrying Cecilia Sala left Tehran after “intensive work on

Iran released Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, whose arrest in Tehran last month had sparked fears of a lengthy hostage crisis.

It's believed that Iran detained Italian journalist Cecilia Sala to use as a bargaining chip for the release of two Iranians held by Italy and the U.S.