Following a recent prisoner swap between the United States and Iran, President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the country’s Ministry of Intelligence. These sanctions are being imposed under the Levinson Act for their alleged involvement in wrongful detentions.
Biden expressed gratitude for the release of five Americans who were imprisoned in Iran and acknowledged the efforts of various countries, including Qatar, Oman, Switzerland, and South Korea, in helping achieve this outcome. The release is part of a prisoner swap agreement, and the U.S. will unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds as part of the deal.
The President also called on Iran to provide a full account of what happened to Bob Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared on Iran’s Kish Island in 2011 and is believed to have died in Iranian custody.
Additionally, Biden urged American passport holders not to travel to Iran and emphasized his administration’s commitment to bringing home every American held hostage or wrongfully detained.
In a separate statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted that the Biden administration has secured the release of more than 30 “wrongfully detained” Americans worldwide. He reaffirmed the call for Iran to provide a full accounting of Bob Levinson’s fate and emphasized the use of the Levinson Act and other tools to promote accountability for Iran and other regimes engaged in wrongful detention practices.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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