Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was on a plane home Wednesday after being freed from an Iranian prison, the result of tireless diplomatic lobbying behind the scenes, the Italian government said.

Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in an Iranian prison, Italy’s government has confirmed. The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she is on a flight back to Italy,

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Iran nearly three weeks ago, has been released by Iranian authorities and was on a plane back to Italy on Wednesday, according to the government in Rome.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, freed after three weeks in Iranian detention, returned to Rome, and greeted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Her release, tied to a US-wanted Iranian engineer, marked a major political win for Meloni.

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.

Sala’s arrest in Tehran last month had sparked fears of a lengthy hostage crisis.

An Italian journalist detained in Iran since Dec. 19 has been freed. Premier Giorgia Meloni's office said Wednesday that a plane carrying Cecilia Sala left Tehran after “intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels.

ROME (Reuters) - Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who had been arrested and imprisoned in Iran, has been freed and is on a plane taking her back home, the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement on Wednesday.

An Italian journalist detained in Iran last month has been freed and is on a flight back to Rome, the Italian government says. Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on 19 December, three days after an Iranian engineer was detained by Italian authorities in Milan on suspicion of supplying drone technology that led to the deaths of US soldiers.