The negotiations to secure the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, currently held in solitary confinement at Iran’s Evin prison since December 19, are proceeding in utmost secrecy. In a recent statement, a spokesperson for the US State Department urged Iran to “immediately and unconditionally release prisoners held without just cause.” The spokesperson criticized the Iranian regime for unjustly detaining citizens from various countries, often using them as political leverage. Emphasizing the critical role of journalists in informing the public, the statement called for their protection, especially in perilous circumstances.
Cecilia Sala’s arrest occurred shortly after the capture of Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi in Italy on a US extradition warrant. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani revealed that the Italian ambassador to Tehran recently met with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, who indicated that no formal charges have yet been filed against Sala. Tajani reassured that Sala is in good spirits and her conditions reportedly better than those faced by other detainees, such as Roman blogger Alessia Piperno, in 2022.
The timing of Sala’s release remains uncertain, as Tajani highlighted the complexities of the ongoing negotiations. He called for discretion in the matter to allow Italian diplomatic efforts to proceed effectively. Additionally, Italy is considering the extradition of Abedini, implicated in a bombing in Jordan that killed three US soldiers, potentially linking Sala’s detention to leverage for Abedini’s release. Speculation also surrounds a possible “triangular exchange” involving Iranian prisoners in third countries, contingent on Sala’s liberation, which may be discussed during President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to Rome from January 9 to 12.
