Trump administration imposes sanctions on two Iranian individuals

The administration of US President Donald Trump has in its final days imposed sanctions on two Iranian individuals allegedly linked to the Islamic Republic’s Intelligence Ministry.

The US Treasury Department announced on its website on Monday that Washington had blacklisted Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazaei, two senior officials of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, over accusations of involvement in the possible death of a former FBI agent whom the White House alleges has been imprisoned in the Islamic Republic.

The Department claimed that the two Iranian officials "were involved in the abduction, detention, and probable death of Mr. Robert Levinson."

The Treasury Department also said in a statement that the sanctions would freeze any US-held assets of the designated individuals and generally bar Americans from doing business with them.

Levinson reportedly visited Iran’s Kish Island in the south on March 9, 2007. He later went missing and his whereabouts remain unknown. There are different reports about the aim of his trip, with some saying the man, who had become a private detective, was reportedly investigating cigarette counterfeiting in the region. Others said he had been on a business trip.

Trump claims ex-FBI agent Levinson still in Iran

The US president claims former FBI agent Robert Levinson is still in Iran, calling on Tehran to turn him over to Washington.

Back in 2010, a video was sent to the Levinson family, reportedly showing the man demanding help for his release. Also in early 2011, some of his images were emailed to his next of kin.

The FBI has offered a five-million-dollar reward for any information that could lead to his safe return.

Tehran has categorically denied any involvement in his disappearance.

Earlier in the year, Levinson’s family cited the US government as claiming the former FBI agent had died in Iranian custody.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry warned the United States in March against politicization of the possible death of Levinson and exploiting his family’s emotions, underlining that the Islamic Republic has, over the recent years, done its utmost to find any evidence pointing to Levinson’s exact fate.

Iran to US: Do not politicize ex-FBI agent’s case, avoid exploiting his family’s emotions

Iran warns the US against politicization of the possible death of an ex-FBI agent.

“Based on credible evidence, the aforementioned person left the Iranian soil for an unspecified destination years ago,” then Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said, also reminding that the US itself had confirmed his departure back then.

On January 19, 2016, after years of pointing the finger at Iran for his fate, the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest announced for the first time that “we have reason to believe that he no longer is in Iran.”

Back then, Earnest said he rested assured that Iran would search for Levinson.

Iran has been under a series of economic sanctions imposed by the United States since 2018, when Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Washington has resisted international calls to relax the bans to help Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk