Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic", Iran's official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

Iran on Monday officially confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, State media reported. Rome-born Sala, 29, Il Foglio's freelance correspondent and a podcaster for Chioa News, was reportedly arrested and taken to Tehran's notorious Evin Prison on December 19,

Italy’s foreign ministry says an Italian journalist who was reporting in Tehran has been detained by the Iranian police

Italy is working “tirelessly” to bring home a journalist who has been under arrest in Iran for more than a week, the country said on Friday.

Prominent Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been arrested in Iran and incarcerated in Tehran's infamous Evin prison.

The United States on Sunday urged Iran to free Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist held in Tehran's Evin Prison since December 19 in possible retaliation for the December 16 arrest in Milan of an Iranian businessman wanted in America on terror charges.

Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance said that Sala's arrest was carried out under relevant regulations and she was granted consular access. She has also contacted her family by phone.

Cecilia Sala could be used as "political leverage" after an Iranian citizen was detained by Italy, a US state department spokesman has said.

Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has pledged to free Italian journalist, Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Iran.