Elon Musk played no role in negotiations between Italy and Iran for the release of a journalist who was held in a Tehran prison, Italy's foreign minister said on Friday, dismissing a media report that the U.

The Italian journalist was released soon after Elon Musk met with an Iranian ambassador, officials in Iran said. So was an Iranian detained in Italy who was wanted by the U.S.

The release of Mohammad Abedini follows Iran's recent freeing of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, sparking speculation that Sala may have been a bargaining chip.

The case of the prominent Italian journalist detained in Iran is a test for Italy’s government as it gets caught up in Iran’s shadow war with the U.S.

Italy has released an Iranian citizen wanted by the U.S. over a drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans a year ago, after the Italian justice minister asked a court to revoke his arrest.

Elon Musk was instrumental in securing the release of a young Italian journalist who was jailed in Iran on trumped-up charges, it was reported on Thursday.

The partner of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested on 19 December in Iran and later released on 8 January, contacted Elon Musk in an attempt to speed up her release, US media reported. Musk confirmed that he had spoken to the Iranian ambassador to the UN about the case.

Elon Musk helped to free imprisoned Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from Iran after the 29-year-old’s boyfriend reached out to him to intervene, according to a report. When Sala’s boyfriend, Daniele Raineri,

Iran has denied a New York Times report that Elon Musk helped secure the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala by contacting Iran's ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani. According to the Isna news agency,

The world's richest man may have made promises to Iran from the U.S. government behind the scenes to help get an Italian journalist released from jail there. If true, the action would raise questions about whether Musk violated the Logan Act.