Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala on December 30, saying she was detained for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic, but gave no more details, according to state-run IRNA.

Sala, 29, a correspondent and reporter for the Italian newspaper Il Foglio and the podcast company Chora Media, was detained on December 19 while reporting in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The Italian Foreign Ministry announced her detention on December 27, after she spent a week in solitary confinement.

The General Directorate of Foreign Media of the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance finally confirmed the detention in a statement on December 30, saying her case is currently under investigation.

"Her arrest was conducted in accordance with relevant regulations, and the Italian embassy in Tehran has been informed," the statement said, adding that Sala has been granted consular access and has been in contact with her family by phone during her detention.

More details will be announced later if the judicial system deems it appropriate, according to the statement.

Italy has denounced Sala's arrest as "unacceptable," stressing that efforts are ongoing to secure her release.

It is believed Iran's detention of the Italian journalist might be a retaliatory move in response to the arrest of an Iranian national in Italy earlier this month.

Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a 38-year-old Swiss-Iranian businessman, was detained at Milan’s Malpensa airport on a US warrant three days before Cecilia Sala's arrest in Tehran.

He faces charges of illegally exporting electronic devices that could be used in drones and is accused of criminal association with the purpose of terrorism.

Chora Media said Sala had left Rome for Iran on December 12 and had produced three episodes of her "Stories" podcast before her scheduled return flight on December 20, which she was unable to board.

The media company initially kept the arrest quiet at the request of her family and Rome authorities, who had hoped discretion might expedite her release; the company also launched a #FreeCecilia campaign.

"Her free voice has been silenced, and neither Italy nor Europe can tolerate this arbitrary arrest," Chora Media said in a statement calling for her immediate release.

Iranian officials have not immediately confirmed the arrest. Iranian media have reported the incident but cited foreign news agencies.

Earlier on December 28, EU MEP Hannah Neumann wrote on the social media site X, “Another hostage has been taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Another assault on media freedom, on women, on international law.”