Italian journalist Cecilia Sala released from Iran

Cecilia Sala was detained on December 19 (Chora Media via AP)

An Italian journalist detained in Iran since December 19 and whose fate became intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer wanted by the United States has been freed and is heading home, officials announced.

A plane carrying Cecilia Sala took off from Tehran after “intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels”, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office said, adding that Ms Meloni had informed Sala’s parents of the news.