Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist

Iranian authorities have confirmed for the first time that Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested on the grounds of «violation of the laws of the Islamic Republic».

This is reported by BBC.

A US State Department official told the Italian daily La Repubblica that the Sala case could be linked to the recent arrest of an Iranian citizen in Milan at the request of the US. A US State Department spokesman, quoted by La Repubblica, said Sala was being used as «political leverage».

Sala, a 29-year-old journalist and host of a popular podcast on news and international affairs, was detained in Iran on December 19, the day before she was due to fly home after preparing a report.

She is reportedly being held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin prison. Sala has been granted consular access and is communicating with her family by phone, Iran's Ministry of Culture said.

On December 16, Iranian national Mohammad Abedini was arrested in Milan on charges of supplying electronic components for drones to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which led to the deaths of three American soldiers. The US is currently seeking Abedini's extradition from Italy.

The publication notes that neither the Italian nor Iranian governments have confirmed any connection between the Italian journalist and Mohammad Abedini.

However, on December 21, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned a senior Italian diplomat in connection with Abedini's arrest.

Italy condemned Sala's arrest as «unacceptable», and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that efforts to secure her release were «complicated».

As reported Ukrinform, Tehran police on December 19 arrested Italian journalist for the daily newspaper Il Foglio Cecilia Sala, who was reporting from Iran.

The last episode of her podcast aired the day before the arrest and was dedicated to Zeinab Mousavi, an Iranian comedienne who was detained by Iranian authorities and placed in solitary confinement earlier this year, but was later released.