Pompeo: Iran Must Free Levinson and Other Americans

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, on Monday, December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of 'hostage-taking' of U.S. citizens and called for the release of Robert Levinson and other imprisoned Americans. Pompeo tweeted: 'On this International Human Rights Day, let us take a moment to remember the innocent Americans who and their families are hostages of the Islamic Republic.' The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that the Iranian government must immediately free Bob (Robert) Levinson and other American hostages. This tweet from Pompeo included a video report on the status of Robert Levinson and other American citizens imprisoned in Iran. The video mentioned Robert Levinson, Siamak Namazi, and Xiyue Wang as three American hostages in Iran. Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent, disappeared in the winter of 2007 after traveling to Kish Island. Xiyue Wang, a Chinese-American researcher from Princeton University, has been sentenced to ten years in prison in Iran and is currently incarcerated. Siamak Namazi, a dual Iranian-American national, was arrested during a trip to Tehran in October 2015. He was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of 'collaborating with a hostile government.' Iranian officials claim they have no information about Levinson's fate or whereabouts. Unconfirmed reports about the fate of this former FBI agent have emerged, some suggesting his death, while others indicate he may be held in eastern Iran near the Afghan border. In this context, a U.S. senator has proposed a plan against 'hostage-takers' in the Islamic Republic. The family of Robert Levinson issued a statement on the eleventh anniversary of his disappearance in Iran. The New York Times reported that Iran dismissed a proposal to negotiate with the U.S. regarding prisoners as outdated. Ed Royce stated that Iran arrests American citizens for ransom. The U.S. State Department issued a new warning to its citizens regarding travel to Iran. A request for a review of the ten-year prison sentence for Baquer and Siamak Namazi has been rejected. The U.S. Senate has called for the release of American citizens imprisoned in Iran. A television documentary against two accused of 'espionage' in Iran has been aired. There is severe government repression and a risk of protests becoming 'underground.'