Iranian authorities have confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, accusing her of violating the Islamic Republic’s laws. This development has sparked international attention, highlighting Iran’s continued use of detainees as potential political leverage.

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 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.

ROME (AP) — An Italian journalist who was reporting in Tehran has been detained by the Iranian police, Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement Friday.

The arrest comes as regimes increasingly resort to seizing Westerners for leverage.

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.

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