DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On Monday, Iranian officials confirmed the arrest of an Italian journalist, asserting that she has breached the laws of the Islamic Republic. According to state media, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which regulates media affairs, provided details about Cecilia Sala’s situation. She arrived in Iran on a journalist visa on December 13 and was detained six days later. The report from the state-run IRNA news agency indicated that her case is currently under investigation.
The Ministry stated that the Italian embassy in Tehran had been notified following her arrest. They also confirmed that Sala was apprehended in accordance with legal regulations and has been granted access to consular services. Additionally, it was mentioned that she managed to communicate with her family via telephone.
Italy’s foreign ministry reported that the Iranian police took Sala into custody on December 19 while she was collaborating with local authorities to address her legal standing and confirm the specifics regarding her detention. Sala is reportedly working as a correspondent for the Italian newspaper Il Foglio, which emphasized her intention to report from Iran on a visa deemed regular, stating her fondness for the country.
Since the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, where many hostages were released after enduring 444 days of captivity, Iran has a history of utilizing prisoners with connections to the West as leverage during negotiations.
Reports from Italian media suggest that Sala’s detention may be part of a strategy to secure the release of Mohammad Abedini-Najafabad, an Iranian-Swiss drone expert, who was arrested in Italy on December 16 on a U.S. extradition warrant. Without citing sources, the Italian daily Corriere della Sera indicated that Iran’s vice foreign minister had hinted at a possible exchange to Italy’s ambassador in Tehran, Paola Amadei.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani alluded to Abedini’s arrest while discussing Sala’s situation during an interview with Italian broadcaster Rete4. He explained that the Iranian-Swiss citizen had been detained in Italy not for committing crimes there, but due to an international warrant issued by the United States. Currently, Italian judicial authorities are assessing the feasibility of extradition.
Tajani acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation but expressed optimism regarding the swift repatriation of Sala.
In a related context, five Americans who had been held in Iran for several years were freed in September 2023 in exchange for five Iranians detained in the U.S., along with the release of $6 billion of Iranian assets previously frozen in South Korea.
The cases of American journalists Roxana Saberi and Jason Rezaian highlight Iran’s pattern of detaining foreign nationals. Saberi experienced imprisonment for approximately 100 days in 2009, while Rezaian was held for over 540 days before being released in a 2016 prisoner swap. Both instances involved Iran making unfounded espionage claims during closed hearings.
