Rubio Designates Iran ‘State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,’ Urges Americans to Leave Israel
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday designated Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” accused the country of “cruelly detaining innocent Americans, as well as citizens of other nations for decades, to use as political leverage against other states”.
Rubio in a statement released said, “Today, I am designating Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention”. He said that when the Iranian regime seized power 47 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini “consolidated his control of power by endorsing the hostage taking of US embassy staff”.
US State Department warned that additional measures could follow if Iran does not stop. These could include potential geographic travel restrictions on the use of US passports to, through, or from Iran.
“The Iranian regime must stop taking hostages and release all Americans unjustly detained in Iran, steps that could end this designation and associated actions. We encourage it to do so,” he stated.
US State Department reiterated its call for US citizens currently in Iran to leave the country immediately.
Rubio added, “No American should travel to Iran for any reason.”
The US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert advising American citizens to consider departing Israel as regional tensions intensify.
