Just In – The United States designates Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.

This designation stems from actions taken under an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on September 5, 2025, titled “Strengthening Efforts to Protect U.S. Nationals from Wrongful Detention Abroad.”

The order, modeled after the existing “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list, empowers the Secretary of State to designate foreign countries that engage in or support the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals as a deterrent measure.

The move built on prior U.S. efforts, such as sanctions under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, and responded to ongoing cases involving Americans held in Iran, Russia, China, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Iran, already long designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (since 1984), faced additional pressure through this new category.

This designation remains in effect unless terminated (e.g., via releases of detainees and policy changes). It aims to increase costs for regimes using wrongful detention as a tool.

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