On Saturday, Iran freed five prisoners as part of a prison swap (in what President Obama described as a “one-time gesture”) with the United States. The welcome news arrived after 14 months of secret negotiations between the two governments, and the symbolism of this goodwill gesture occurred on the cusp of “Implementation Day.” Indeed, Sunday saw all nuclear-related sanctions lifted as described in last summer’s nuclear deal. Good news all around, or at least, almost.
The freed detainees included Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, but former FBI agent Robert Levinson did not materialize with the group. Levinson, who served for over two decades with the FBI, was last spotted in 2007 while visiting Iran’s Kish Island. After his disappearance, the U.S. issued a statement saying he wasn’t on government assignment. Levinson’s family later revealed how he was truly working with the U.S. “as a freelance ‘spy’ for a rogue CIA operation” involving Iran’s nuclear program. Upon hearing of Levinson’s non-inclusion in the prison swap, his family said, “Once again, Bob Levinson has been left behind. We are devastated.”
Also on Saturday, the White House said Iran would continue to cooperate in locating Levinson, but the sentiment didn’t add up. Both administrations are sort of pretending Levinson disappeared without a trace, but the ex-FBI agent surfaced five years ago in a video where he said, “I have been held here for three and a half years. I am not in good health.” He also begged for help: “33 years of service to the United States means something.”
Before he vanished, Levinson was afflicted with gout, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He appears to be in severe discomfort in the above video, and one wonders why steps weren’t taken to free him. Fox News reports how Levinson’s family feels “extremely betrayed” by John Kerry, who said, “We have no idea” if Levinson is still alive. Levinson’s wife spoke to the press:
“We had to learn it from the TV ourselves, and that’s very disappointing and heartbreaking … We talk about him all the time. If you talk to the grandchildren, they all know how to sing [Levinson’s favorite song]. I hope that he hasn’t lost hope.”
Levinson’s son, Dan, vowed to never give up looking for his father. Dan believes Robert is still alive, and he says there’s no evidence to prove otherwise. The family plans to celebrate their loved one’s birthday on March 10 as planned, and they hope the U.S. will truly dig into the whereabouts of Robert Levinson.
(Via ABC News, CNN, New York Times & Fox News)