Family of former FBI agent Robert Levinson has concluded that he has died while in Iranian custody, saying US Intelligence had led them to giving up 13 years of hope. Iran has denied the claim, saying he left the country years ago. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said, “credible evidence” suggested Levinson left Iran for an “unspecified destination” at some point in the past.
President Donald Trump acknowledged that things were not looking great, but refused to confirm Levinson’s death. Iran has always maintained that it has no information about Levinson, who disappeared from the Iranian island of Kish in 2007, while he was working as a private investigator. The Levinson family said it had recently received information from US officials that had led them to draw their conclusion that the beloved husband and father is dead. “It is impossible to describe our pain,” they said. “If not for the cruel, heartless actions of the Iranian regime, Robert Levinson would be alive and home with us today,” they added.
There are conflicting claims surrounding the disappearance of Levinson, who had retired from FBI in 1998, and was on an unauthorised CIA mission. Though not the first US-national to be held hostage by Iran, Levinson certainly had been held hostage the longest. The Levinson family had received proof-of-life-photos and a video in 2010 and 2011, which were later released to the media.
The images showed Levinson, with a long grey beard and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, with sign around his neck read: “why you cannot help me”. According to a source, upon arrival in Iran, Levinson is said to have met with an American fugitive Dawud Salahauddin, who was targeted by the CIA for recruitment. Levinson was hoping to deliver Salahuddin to the intelligence agency, and in return full-time employment with the CIA. Levinson disappeared shortly after this.
In a filing with the United Nations, Iran acknowledged in November 2019 that there was an ongoing case in the Public Prosecution and Revolutionary Court of Tehran for Levinson. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had offered a reward of $25 million for information leading to Levinson’s recovery and return, but to no avail.
