The White House prodded Iran in the search for retired FBI agent Robert Levinson on Wednesday, the ninth anniversary of his disappearance during a trip to the country.
“We continue to call upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide assistance in his case, as agreed to as part of the prisoner exchange finalized earlier this year, so that we can bring Mr. Levinson home,” read a statement from the Obama administration, referring to an exchange in January that saw Tehran return five Americans to the U.S.
“Finding Mr. Levinson remains a top priority for the United States, and we continue to spare no effort to bring him home,” the statement continued. “Today the United States renews its unrelenting commitment to securing Mr. Levinson’s return. Our hearts remain with the Levinson family. They have endured the pain and suffering of his disappearance for far too long.”
Iranian officials say they do not know where Levinson is. Administration officials believe he is being held somewhere outside of Iran, but that Tehran knows where.
President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and FBI Director James Comey met with Levinson’s family shortly after the January prisoner swap.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has committed to cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Mr. Levinson, and we are holding Iran to its promise,” Kerry said in a separate statement.
Levinson turns 68 Thursday.
