Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been released from an Iranian prison after three weeks in jail following successful negotiations.

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

International

Italian journalist jailed for nearly a month in Iran released

Jan 8

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Iran released an Italian journalist on Wednesday, Jan. 8, after detaining her for nearly a month. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office confirmed journalist Cecilia Sala’s release and said she is returning home to Italy.

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Iranian authorities arrested Sala, 29, on Dec. 19, shortly after she arrived in the country on a journalist visa. Officials accused her of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic without providing specifics.

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Reports suggested the 29-year-old journalist’s detention was connected to an Iranian engineer facing charges from the U.S. Justice Department.

Some Italian commentators believed Tehran detained Sala as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini.

Three days before Sala’s arrest, Italian authorities arrested Abedini on a U.S. warrant.

The U.S. Justice Department indicted Abedini and another Iranian on charges of supplying Tehran with drone technology used to kill three American troops in Jordan in January 2024.

Abedini remains in custody in Italy.

Iran denied any involvement in the 2024 strike on U.S. forces and contends Abedini’s arrest is essentially hostage-taking.

Meanwhile, Italian lawmakers celebrated successful negotiations to bring Sala home.

Sala’s return comes days after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with President-elect Donald Trump.

No details of the meeting were released, but the deputy Italian prime minister said the pair discussed Sala’s situation.

An Italian newspaper reported Trump blessed the deal to bring Sala home on the condition it happened before his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20.

Tags: Arrest, Drones, hostage, Indictment, Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Jordan, Journalism, Prison, Prisoners, Tehran, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. military

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

AN ITALIAN JOURNALIST JAILED FOR NEARLY A MONTH IN IRAN HAS BEEN RELEASED AND IS RETURNING HOME.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMING FROM THE ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE WEDNESDAY AS A PLANE CARRYING JOURNALIST CECILIA SALA FLEW HER BACK HOME TO ITALY.

THERE’S SPECULATION THE 29-YEAR-OLD JOURNALIST’S DETENTION IS CONNECTED TO AN IRANIAN ENGINEER FACING CHARGES FROM THE U-S.

SALA WAS ARRESTED IN IRAN ON DECEMBER 19TH, SHORTLY AFTER SHE ARRIVED ON A JOURNALIST VISA.

IRANIAN AUTHORITIES ACCUSED HER OF VIOLATING THE LAWS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC WITHOUT GIVING SPECIFICS.

SOME ITALIAN COMMENTATORS SUGGEST TEHRAN DETAINED SALA AS A BARGAINING CHIP TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF IRANIAN ENGINEER MOHAMMAD ABEDINI.

ABEDINI WAS ARRESTED IN ITALY ON A U-S WARRANT THREE DAYS BEFORE SALA WAS DETAINED BY IRAN.

THE U-S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INDICTED ABEDINI AND ANOTHER IRANIAN ON CHARGES OF SUPPLYING TEHRAN WITH DRONE TECHNOLOGY USED TO KILL THREE U-S TROOPS IN JORDAN IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.

HE REMAINS IN CUSTODY IN ITALY.

IRAN DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE STRIKE ON U-S FORCES AND CONTENDS ABEDINI’S ARREST IS ESSENTIALLY HOSTAGE-TAKING.

SALA’S RELEASE IS A VICTORY FOR ITALY, WHERE HER FIGHT TO MAKE IT HOME MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES.

ITALIAN LAWMAKERS ARE CELEBRATING SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS THAT BROUGHT HER HOME.

SALA’S RETURN ALSO COMES AFTER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI MET WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP OVER THE WEEKEND.

NO DETAILS OF THE MEETING WERE RELEASED, BUT THE DEPUTY ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE PAIR DISCUSSED SALA’S SITUATION.

AN ITALIAN NEWSPAPER ALSO REPORTED TRUMP BLESSED THE DEAL TO BRING HER HOME ON THE CONDITION IT HAPPENED BEFORE HIS INAUGURATION.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

Italian journalist jailed for nearly a month in Iran released

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