Log in using your social
network account
Log in directly with
The Independent
Please enter an email addressPlease enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address
Want an ad-free experience?
Subscribe to Independent Premium.
Hi {{fullName}}
‘He’s an American hero’: Trump confirms American FBI agent Robert Levinson likely dead in Iran
Trump confirmed reports hours after family put out a statement
- Thursday 26 March 2020 00:23
- {{total}} comments
{{^moreThanTen}}
{{/moreThanTen}}
Trump has admitted it is not “looking good” for retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, now presumed dead in Iran.
In a coronavirus taskforce press conference on Wednesday evening, the president said that he assumed the American had died in custody.
Mr Levinson disappeared in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission. Government officials initially claimed he was travelling in a personal capacity but then six years later officials admitted it was on government business.
‘It’s not looking good. We feel terribly for the family’, Mr Trump said.
He added Iran hadn’t yet confirmed Mr Levinson’s death.
Mr Trump’s comments came an hour after Mr Levinson’s own family released a statement.
“We recently received information from U.S. officials that has led both them and us to conclude that our wonderful husband and father died while in Iranian custody. We don’t know when or how he died, only that it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said in a statement.
“It is impossible to describe our pain. Our family will spend the rest of our lives without the most amazing man we have ever known, a new reality that is inconceivable to us. His grandchildren will never meet him. They will only know him through the stories we tell them.”
“Those who are responsible for what happened to Bob Levinson, including those in the U.S. government who for many years repeatedly left him behind, will ultimately receive justice for what they have done. We will spend the rest of our lives making sure of this, and the Iranian regime must know we will not be going away. We expect American officials, as well as officials around the world, to continue to press Iran to seek Bob’s return, and to ensure those Iranian officials involved are held accountable.’
The family thanked the Trump administration for their assistance in trying to return Levinson home and called the former agent an ‘American hero’.
“Bob Levinson was a truly remarkable individual – the best husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend anyone could ever ask for. He was an American hero – a true patriot, and his compassion and kindness knew no bounds,” the family said. “We will miss his warmth, humor, and wisdom, but most of all, we will miss the deep and unconditional love he had for each one of us. He will never be forgotten – we will make sure of it.”
Daily coronavirus briefing
No hype, just the advice and analysis you need
Comments
Share your thoughts and debate the big issues
Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
- You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully
- Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable
- Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties
- We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Newest first
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Oldest first
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Most liked
{{/moreThanOne}}
{{^comments}}
{{/comments}} {{#comments}}
{{/replies}}
{{/comments}}
{{^comments}}
{{/comments}} {{#comments}}
{{/comments}}
Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
- You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully
- Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable
- Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties
- We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
{{^nickname}}
{{/nickname}}
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Newest first
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Oldest first
- -1) ? ‘active’ : ””> Most liked
{{/moreThanOne_p}}
{{^comments}}
{{/comments}} {{#comments}}
{{/replies}}
{{/comments}}
{{^comments}}
{{/comments}} {{#comments}}
{{/comments}}
Follow comments
Vote
Report Comment
Subscribe to Independent Premium to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Already registered? Log in
Report Comment
Delete Comment
About The Independent commenting
Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
More Stories
UAE: Foreign Secretary Kwatra holds multiple meetings on expanding bilateral ties, I2U2 initiative
Actress Parvaneh Massoumi passes away at 78
Iran becomes a member of AHAC board of directors