Cecilia Sala, 29, who was detained last month in Iran while on a reporting trip, was on a plane back to her home country, the Italian government announced.

Iran released Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, whose 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 took off from Tehran after “intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked those who made possible the return of Cecilia, the recently freed journalist.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been freed from an Iranian prison and is on a plane home, a spokesperson for the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday.

A plane carrying journalist Cecilia Sala has left Tehran and will soon arrive back in Italy, Italian authorities announced on Wednesday. Sala had been held in the Iranian capital's notorious Evin

Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been freed by Iran following 'Intensive' diplomatic effort by the country's prime minister

Through a note, the Italian Government announces the release of Cecilia Sala, detained in an Iranian prison since last December 19th. The journalist is already on her way to Italy.

A statement clarified that Sala was released thanks to the intensive efforts made through diplomacy and intelligence agencies

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.