WASHINGTON – The White House is keeping up pressure on Iran to help search for an American who was reported missing nine years ago.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said finding former FBI agent Robert Levinson remains a top priority. He notes Iran agreed to step up its role in the search as part of a prisoner exchange negotiated in conjunction with a nuclear agreement earlier this year.
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The FBI said in a statement Wednesday that the U.S. is encouraged by recent cooperation from the Iranian government.
"Today marks nine years since Bob Levinson went missing in Iran," Florida Sen. Bill Nelson tweeted Wednesday. "It's time for Iran to finally fulfill its promises to help us bring Bob home."
Levinson disappeared during a trip to Iran's Kish Island in 2007. A 2013 Associated Press investigation found that he was working for the CIA on an unauthorized intelligence-gathering mission to glean information about Iran's nuclear program.
U.S. officials have said that they are no longer sure that he is still in the country.