By Crispian Balmer ROME (Reuters) -Italian reporter Cecilia Sala has been freed after three weeks in an Iranian prison and is flying home, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said on Wednesday. Sala,

An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks was freed Wednesday and was heading home, after her fate had become intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer arrested in Italy and wanted by the United States.

The arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran on December 19 was not in retaliation for the detention three days earlier in Milan of Iranian citizen Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi under a US warrant,

After more than three weeks of detention, Cecilia Sala has been released from Tehran's Evin Prison and was met at the airport in Rome by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala had an emotional reunion with her boyfriend and her parents when she arrived in Italy after being released from detention in Iran. She was also welcomed back by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

Sala’s arrest in Tehran last month had sparked fears of a lengthy hostage crisis. Italy is expected to free Iranian businessman, wanted by the U.S., as part of a deal.