American detainees in Iran face growing danger

Hours before U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military facilities began overnight on Saturday, the State Department designated Iran a state sponsor of wrongful detention. With an ongoing internet blackout in Iran, however, it is difficult to know what is now happening to U.S. prisoners.

It is widely believed that six Americans are held hostage within Iran, though some put the figure at eight. A State Department spokesperson explained that the department is “aware of reports of Americans detained in Iran prior to the February 27th conflict and seek to provide consular support.” They did not provide a specific count of U.S. detainees, citing “respect for [hostages’] safety and security.”