The Trump administration announced on Monday that it has sanctioned two senior Iranian intelligence officials for allegedly being involved in the abduction, detention and probable death of former FBI agent and Jewish American Robert Levinson.
Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazai of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) were sanctioned by America for their alleged involvement in the case of Levinson, who disappeared in 2007 while visiting Iran and working part-time for the CIA. He is believed to have died while in Iranian custody.
The United States sanctioned the MOIS in 2009 over alleged human-rights abuses.
“The abduction of Mr. Levinson in Iran is an outrageous example of the Iranian regime’s willingness to commit unjust acts,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement. “The United States will always prioritize the safety and security of the American people and will continue to aggressively pursue those who played a role in Mr. Levinson’s detention and probable death.”
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “The Iranian regime has a 41-year history of abducting and detaining foreigners and dual-nationals as political leverage. We reiterate our strong warning to U.S. citizens and dual-nationals that traveling to Iran may jeopardize their personal safety. The abduction, detention and probable death of Mr. Levinson is another egregious example of the regime’s callous disregard towards human life.”
