An Italian journalist detained in Iran since Dec. 19 and whose fate became intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer wanted by the United States was freed Wednesday and is heading home, Italian officials announced.

ROME (Reuters) -Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in Iran and is flying home, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said in a statement on Wednesday. Sala, 29, who had been working under a regular journalistic visa,

Italy summoned Iran’s ambassador on Thursday to demand the immediate release of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, as the government and opposition ramped up public pressure on the politically sensitive case.

An Italian journalist detained in Iran last month has been freed and is on a flight back to Rome, the Italian government says. Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on 19 December, three days after an Iranian engineer was detained by Italian authorities in Milan on suspicion of supplying drone technology that led to the deaths of US soldiers.