The Italian Secret Service plane with the journalist on board Cecilia Sala and the director of the Aise Giovanni Caravelli landed this afternoon in Ciampino. The Prime Minister was waiting for Sala Giorgia Meloniand the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The journalist from Il Foglio and Chora Media was in Iran with a journalistic residence permit valid for eight days, for the purpose of collecting material for her podcast. On December 19, she was stopped by Iranian authorities inside her hotel. She has since been incarcerated in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, known for housing political dissidents and foreign nationals. Initially, the charges against her were not declared. However, on December 30, the Iranian Government declared that Cecilia Sala she was detained “for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” A baseless accusation. During the period of detention of Cecilia Sala There are many who have attacked the Government accused of not knowing how to handle the case. However, the journalist’s release is proof that the Government and all the delegated structures that worked in silence handled the case well. The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella congratulated the Prime Minister on the return of Cecilia Sala to Italy. Then the head of state called Sala’s mother, who – he recalls – he had met in the days following the arrest. Contrary to what was declared by the opposition and reported by much of the press, which described the journey of Giorgia Meloni in the United States as a simple window dressing operation, this visit played a significant role in the affair. The dialogue with Donald Trump proved crucial. The Iranian issue in the current situation is complex and delicate, but the Prime Minister has been able to skilfully use all the resources at his disposal. The result is clear: Cecilia Sala she was freed and that’s what matters.
What did the Iranians achieve? We don’t know yet but there are those who say that Mohammad Abedini Najafabadithe Iranian arrested in Milan on December 16th who is in Opera prison, will be released and expelled. If this were the case, there would be no cause for scandal for two simple reasons: all countries negotiate (including the United States) and sometimes pay when a kidnapped person needs to be brought home, so an exchange is in the logic of things even if it can be annoying. . Governing also means taking charge of delicate situations like these and they make those on the opposition benches laugh – after having been in Government for years – who have forgotten about them.
Second aspect is that Mohammad AbedinAccording to the US, he is a trafficker of systems used in Iranian Pasdaran drones, however, this is not certain Osama bin Laden and if the Americans have given their green light to the operation it means that it is not an indispensable figure for them. Renato Sala, Cecilia’s father confirmed to Ansa the delicacy of the operation: «I will tell Cecilia that I am proud of her and of the ability and composure she had in this matter. During his days of imprisonment I heard it three times. During this period I had the impression of a chess game, but there were not just two players. At a certain point the board became crowded and this created strong fears in a parent like me, who unfortunately ignores the moves.” Finally, the accusations against the Italian Government of not knowing how to handle cases of kidnapping or detention abroad appear gratuitous if we look at the recent past where there are quite a few cases of freed Italians.
-Alessia PIPERNOarrested in Iran towards the end of September 2022 for participating in protests and detained at Evin prison. She was freed after about 45 days on November 10th, after intense diplomatic and intelligence discussions;
–Patrick ZAKIstudent at the University of Bologna, arrested by the Egyptian authorities in 2020. Intelligence and diplomatic activities were immediately launched on the Italian side. His detention was suspended in December 2021. In July 2023, the Cairo court issued a final sentence of 3 years of imprisonment, but the following day, also thanks to the important mediation work incessantly conducted by Italy, the President Egyptian Al-Sisi granted pardon to the student, thus allowing him to return to Italy;
-Ilaria DE ROSAarrested in Saudi Arabia on 3 May 2023 and subsequently sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment in first instance and on appeal for possession of narcotic substances (a circumstance always denied by the interested party). She returned to her homeland on 2 November of the same year, following the work of the national diplomacy;
-Enrico FORTI, arrested in Miami in 1998 on suspicion of murder, after several years of mediation with the United States Government he was brought back to Italy in May 2024.
-Rocco and Giovanni LANGONE, Maria Donata CAIVANOthree Italians released on 27 February 2024 and returned to Italy. They had been kidnapped by a terrorist group on 19 May 2022 in Koutiala (Mali), the country in which they lived.
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