An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks was freed Wednesday and was heading home, after her fate had become intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer arrested in Italy and wanted by the United States.

The reporter for the Il Foglio daily was detained in Tehran on December 19, three days after she arrived on a journalist visa.

Italian reporter Cecilia Sala has been freed after three weeks in an Iranian prison and is flying home, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said on Wednesday.

Cecilia Sala, 29, who was detained last month while on a reporting trip, was on a plane home, the Italian government announced.

Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in an Iranian prison, Italy’s government has confirmed. The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she is on a flight back to Italy,

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in Iran and is flying home, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office has said. Ms Sala, 29, travelled to Iran on December 13 on a journalist's visa.

Italian journalist freed from detention in Iran - Journalist Cecilia Sala, 29, left Tehran on Wednesday after being detained there in December

Iran released Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, whose arrest in Tehran last month had sparked fears of a lengthy hostage crisis.

It's believed that Iran detained Italian journalist Cecilia Sala to use as a bargaining chip for the release of two Iranians held by Italy and the U.S.