Iranian authorities have confirmed for the first time that Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested in the country on the grounds of “violation of the Islamic Republic’s laws”.
Ms Sala, a 29-year-old journalist and the host of a popular news and foreign affairs podcast, was detained in Iran on 19 December, the day before she was supposed to fly home from a reporting trip.
The US state department spokesperson quoted by La Repubblica said Ms Sala was being used as “political leverage”.
Neither the Italian nor the Iranian governments have confirmed any link between Cecilia Sala and Mohammad Abedini.
Italy denounced Ms Sala’s arrest as “unacceptable” and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that efforts to free her were “complicated”.
The fact that Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained in Iran for “violation of the Islamic Republic’s laws” has been confirmed for the first time by Iranian authorities.
A US state department spokesperson told the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica that Ms. Sala’s case may be connected to the recent arrest of an Iranian national in Milan at the US government’s request.
On December 19, just one day before she was scheduled to return from a reporting trip, Ms. Sala, a 29-year-old journalist and host of a well-known news and international affairs podcast, was arrested in Iran.
She is currently reportedly being detained in Teheran’s Evin prison in solitary confinement.
Three American soldiers were killed when Iranian national Mohammad Abedini was detained in Milan on December 16 on suspicion of providing the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) with electronic components for drones. The United States is presently pursuing the extradition of Mr. Abedini from Italy.
“Political leverage” is what the US State Department spokesperson, cited by La Repubblica, claimed Ms. Sala was being used for.
The Iranian and Italian governments have not acknowledged any connection between Mohammad Abedini and Cecilia Sala.
Regarding Mr. Abedini’s arrest, Iran’s Foreign Ministry did, however, call a senior Italian diplomat on December 21.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called the arrest of Ms. Sala “unacceptable” and described the efforts to free her as “complicated.”.
He told Italian TV, “There is a certain amount of goodwill, especially in terms of the way Cecilia is being treated.”. He did, however, add that the talks were “very delicate” and that he had no idea how long it would take to get her released.
On December 27, Ms. Sala’s arrest was announced by her employer, the podcast company Chora Media.
According to the company, it first remained silent for a week at the request of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ms. Sala’s family in the “hope that this silence would lead to her swift release.”. Regretfully, this hasn’t occurred yet. “.”.
The entire Italian government, according to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, is “working tirelessly” to secure Ms. Sala’s release.
“Involving Western public opinion in negotiations with Iran won’t resolve the issue. However, he wrote on X, “through high-level political and diplomatic action.”.
According to the Iranian Culture Ministry, Ms. Sala is in phone contact with her family and has been given consular access.
Despite the prison’s bright lights, which are never turned off, Ms. Sala was given a “care package” that included chocolate, cigarettes, panettone, and an eye mask so she could sleep, according to one of her coworkers at Chora Media.
In every episode of Cecilia Sala’s well-liked daily podcast, a new perspective on a current event is discussed.
Zeynab Mousavi, a female stand-up comedian who was arrested by Iranian authorities and kept in solitary confinement, was the subject of the final one, which was released the day before her arrest.
