Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, detained in Iran for three weeks, was freed on Wednesday and is on her way back to Italy.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was on a plane home Wednesday after being freed from an Iranian prison, the result of tireless diplomatic lobbying behind the scenes, the Italian government said.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Iran nearly three weeks ago, has been released by Iranian authorities and was on a plane back to Italy on Wednesday, according to the government in Rome.