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

Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who had been arrested in Tehran and jailed for three weeks, was freed and sent back to Italy, according to a statement by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office.

Cecilia Sala, 29, was detained last month while on a reporting trip. She had been held for 20 days and told her family that she was kept in isolation.

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.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala arrives in Rome after she was released from three weeks' detention in Iran

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday summoned the Iranian ambassador over the detention of an Italian journalist in Tehran two weeks ago, demanding her release.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called a meeting Thursday with Tajani,

A plane carrying the 29-year-old landed at Rome’s Ciampino airport on Wednesday. Her overjoyed parents and partner were on hand to welcome her back, as were the prime minister, the foreign minister, and the mayor of Rome.

After more than three weeks of detention, Cecilia Sala has been released from Tehran's Evin Prison and was met at the airport in Rome by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The fate of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran and an Iranian engineer imprisoned in Italy on a U.S. warrant have grown even more intertwined

The case of Cecilia Sala, who is detained in Iran, is a test for Italy’s government as it gets caught up in Tehran’s shadow war with the U.S.

After Italian PM Meloni’s visit to Trump’s Florida resort, a journalist is suddenly freed from an Iranian prison. Is there a correlation? Does Giorgia Meloni have the president-elect’s ear?