Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been released by Iran and is on her way back to Italy, the premier's office said on Wednesday.
"The aeroplane bringing the journalist Cecilia Sala back home took off a few minutes ago from Tehran," a premier's office statement said.
"Thanks to intense work on diplomatic and intelligence channels, our compatriot has been released by the Iranian authorities and is returning to Italy".
The statement said Meloni personally informed the journalist's parents of her release in a telephone call.
The flight bringing Sala back landed at Rome's Ciampino airport at around 16:00 Italian time.
Sala, a 29-year-old Il Foglio freelance reporter and Chora News podcaster, was arrested in Iran on December 19.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed satisfaction via X, hailing the "immense job" done by Meloni and the "whole Italy team", including Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano, the foreign ministry and the security services.
"Welcome home," he said.
Sala was arrested three days after Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi was detained at a Milan airport under a US warrant on charges of exporting drone parts allegedly used to kill three US servicemen in Jordan a year ago.
Sala's arrest was not linked to Abedini Najafabadi's, Iranian government spokesman Fatemeh Mohajerani was quoted as saying on Tuesday by Iran's ISNA news agency..
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