TEHRAN, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran announced on Sunday that Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian national detained in Italy, has been released and returned home.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei expressed satisfaction with Abedini's release in a statement, praising the efforts of all parties involved in securing his return. Baghaei highlighted the ministry's commitment to protecting Iranian nationals abroad, stating it would continue to fulfill its "inherent duties" in defending their rights.

Abedini was arrested on Dec. 16, 2024, at Milan's Malpensa Airport after arriving from Istanbul. He had been detained in a Milan jail at the request of the United States, which accused him of supplying materials for a drone attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. The attack killed three U.S. service members.

In a separate case, Iran on Wednesday freed Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, 29, who had been detained since Dec. 19, 2024. Sala, a podcaster with Chora Media group and writer for Il Foglio daily, was arrested during a reporting trip to Iran over allegations of violating the country's laws, according to the Iranian Culture Ministry.

Sala returned to Italy on a military plane, landing at Rome's Ciampino Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Her release followed "intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels," the Italian government said in a statement. Enditem

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