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Meloni announced on Twitter that Sala had returned safely, expressing gratitude to everyone involved in facilitating Cecilia’s reunion with her family and colleagues.
Sala’s situation became linked to Abedini’s, leading both countries’ foreign offices to call upon each other’s ambassadors to request the prisoners’ release and decent treatment while detained. This diplomatic predicament was especially complex for Italy, which has historical ties to Washington but also maintains a positive relationship with Tehran.
The officials in Meloni’s government closely followed the case due to its broader geopolitical implications. Foreign Minister Antonio Tanaji and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto praised the collaborative diplomatic efforts that led to Sala’s freedom, marking a significant achievement for Meloni.
Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, which saw dozens of hostages released after 444 days in captivity, Iran has used prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations with the world.
In September 2023, five Americans detained for years in Iran were freed in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released by South Korea.
Western journalists have been held in the past as well. Roxana Saberi, an American journalist, was detained by Iran in 2009 for around 100 days before being released.
Also detained by Iran was Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who was held for more than 540 days before being released in 2016 in a prisoner swap between Iran and the U.S.
Both cases involved Iran making false espionage accusations in closed-door hearings.
