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March 8 (UPI) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a statement Friday ahead the 17th anniversary of the abduction of retired FBI agent Robert "Bob" Levinson in Iran, saying it will continue to seek "every lead" in his disappearance. The FBI also noted March 9 will now commemorate National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day to remember all Americans unjustly detained abroad.
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"It has been 17 years since Bob disappeared in Iranian territory, but no matter how much time has passed, the FBI and our partners will pursue every lead to uncover what happened to Bob and return him to his family," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in the statement.
The United States has long appealed to the Iranian government to help find Levinson, a retired DEA and FBI agent who went missing in Kish Island, Iran, in 2007.
Levinson, who retired in 1998 and had since become a private investigator was in Iran to investigate cigarette smuggling on behalf of a client. During that time, he met with U.S. fugitive Dawud Salahuddin. Salahuddin said Iranian security officials detained the two of them, but after he was released, he never saw Levinson again.
He is one of the longest held Americans in history, according to the White House.
Ten years after his disappearance, Levinson's family sued Iran in federal court for falsely reporting he was kidnapped by a terrorist organization.
The suit alleged Iranian government news outlet Press TV reported Iranian security authorities had detained Levinson three weeks after the event took place and that he should be released shortly. Levinson, however, was not released, and the Iranian government began denying any involvement in his disappearance.
Washington, D.C., District Court Judge Timothy Kelly in 2020 ordered Iran to pay his family $1.4 billion in damages for the "barbaric conduct that has caused him and his family immeasurable suffering."
Months earlier, U.S. officials had informed Levinson's family that he was presumed dead. His family said they did not know how or when he died, only that it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Trump administration that same year sanctioned Iranian intelligence officials Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazai for their alleged involvement in Levinson's disappearance.
"The abduction of Mr. Levinson in Iran is an outrageous example of the Iranian regime's willingness to commit unjust acts," Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the time. "The United States will always prioritize the safety and security of the American people and will continue to aggressively pursue those who played a role in Mr. Levinson's detention and probable death."
The FBI on Thursday again called on the Iranian government to cooperate with the United States and share information that could lead to Levinson's return.
"This weekend, Bob should be celebrating his 76th birthday with his wife, children, and grandchildren," the statement read. "Instead, we remember Bob as part of the FBI family and publicly renew our commitment to bring him home."
The bureau said it is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to return.
