‘CIA misled Congress on missing American’
17 Dec 2013 11:30 PM GMT
McCain said he is confident the US is doing all it can to learn what has happened to Robert Levinson, but he told CNN’s State of the Union the CIA has not been forthcoming with the Congress about him. Iran’s foreign minister, meanwhile, asserted that Levinson is ‘not incarcerated by the government and I believe the government runs, pretty much, good control of the country.’
An Associated Press investigation published last week found that Levinson was working for the CIA - investigating the Iranian government. The US long has publicly described Levinson as a private citizen who traveled to an Iranian island on private business. McCain, R-Ariz., told CNN ‘the CIA did not tell the truth to the Congress’ about Levinson. He said he doesn’t ‘think there’s any doubt’ about whether Iran knows Levinson’s fate. But Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, when asked on CBS’ Face the Nation where Levinson is, replied, ‘I have no idea.’
‘If we can trace him and find him, we will certainly discuss’ returning him to the United States, he said.
Secretary of State John Kerry dismissed a suggestion by Levinson’s family that the US government was not doing enough to find out what happened to Levinson.
‘There hasn’t been progress in the sense that we don’t have him back. But to suggest that we have abandoned him or anybody has abandoned him is simply incorrect ... and not helpful,’ Kerry told ABC’s This Week. ‘The fact is I have personally raised the issue not only at the highest level... but also through other intermediaries,’ said Kerry, noting ‘we have two other Americans that we’re deeply concerned about.’ Right now, ‘we’re looking for proof of life,’ Kerry said.
Iran’s press counselor at the United Nations called on Washington to explain Levinson’s mission in Iranian territory, after the AP investigation revealed that he had been on an unauthorized assignment for the CIA when he vanished on Iran’s Kish Island in March 2007.
An Associated Press investigation published last week found that Levinson was working for the CIA - investigating the Iranian government. The US long has publicly described Levinson as a private citizen who traveled to an Iranian island on private business. McCain, R-Ariz., told CNN ‘the CIA did not tell the truth to the Congress’ about Levinson. He said he doesn’t ‘think there’s any doubt’ about whether Iran knows Levinson’s fate. But Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, when asked on CBS’ Face the Nation where Levinson is, replied, ‘I have no idea.’
‘If we can trace him and find him, we will certainly discuss’ returning him to the United States, he said.
Secretary of State John Kerry dismissed a suggestion by Levinson’s family that the US government was not doing enough to find out what happened to Levinson.
‘There hasn’t been progress in the sense that we don’t have him back. But to suggest that we have abandoned him or anybody has abandoned him is simply incorrect ... and not helpful,’ Kerry told ABC’s This Week. ‘The fact is I have personally raised the issue not only at the highest level... but also through other intermediaries,’ said Kerry, noting ‘we have two other Americans that we’re deeply concerned about.’ Right now, ‘we’re looking for proof of life,’ Kerry said.
Iran’s press counselor at the United Nations called on Washington to explain Levinson’s mission in Iranian territory, after the AP investigation revealed that he had been on an unauthorized assignment for the CIA when he vanished on Iran’s Kish Island in March 2007.
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