The U.S. government is formally blaming Iran for the presumed death of retired FBI agent and South Florida resident Robert Levinson.
MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) — The U.S. government is formally blaming Iran for the presumed death of retired FBI agent and South Florida resident Robert Levinson. This is the first time the U.S. government has assigned blame since Levinson, who lived in Coral Springs, disappeared in Iran nearly 14 years ago. The Trump administration identified and sanctioned two senior Iranian intelligence officials whom the US government says were involved in Levinson’s abduction and “probable death.” His family announced in March they had received information to conclude he had died. Senior US government officials told reporters Monday they have determined that Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazai, officers from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, had “direct involvement in the abduction, detention and probable death” of Levinson. “With this announcement, the United States Government is initiating the first public actions against the Iranian government to hold them accountable for the abduction of Robert Levinson—the longest ever held American hostage,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement Monday. “The United States will relentlessly pursue all others involved as the investigation continues.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday called on the Iranian government “to provide a full accounting of Mr. Levinson’s fate, and we will not rest until all Americans wrongfully detained by Iran are back home,” adding that he hoped “today brings the Levinson family some of the answers and justice they deserve.” In a statement, the Levinson family thanked the Trump administration for the announcement, and said it “is just one step in a long road toward achieving justice for him, but it is an important one.
