FBI Names Iranian Operatives Behind Levinson Abduction in Explosive New Push
The FBI has issued posters targeting three Iranian intelligence officers for their alleged roles in the 2007 abduction of Robert Levinson, intensifying efforts to resolve one of America’s longest hostage cases. The move, backed by $25 million in rewards, underscores U.S. determination to hold Iran accountable despite its denials and cover-up attempts.
On July 15, 2025, the FBI’s Washington Field Office intensified its pursuit of justice by releasing “Seeking Information” posters targeting three senior Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) officers implicated in the 2007 abduction of retired FBI Special Agent Robert A. “Bob” Levinson from Kish Island, Iran. The case, one of America’s longest unresolved hostage sagas, saw Levinson, a former FBI agent turned private investigator, vanish during an unauthorized CIA mission. The FBI alleges these officers orchestrated his kidnapping and Iran’s subsequent cover-up.
The named officials include Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s current ambassador to Pakistan, who previously led MOIS’s operations unit overseeing European agents; Taghi Daneshvar, a counterespionage official who supervised Mohammad Baseri, sanctioned in 2020 for his role in Levinson’s detention; and Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, expelled from Albania in 2018 for security threats, who allegedly fabricated a narrative blaming Pakistani terrorists to shield Iran. “These three intelligence officers were among those who allegedly facilitated Bob’s abduction and the subsequent cover-up by the Iranian government,” said Steven Jensen, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Bob likely later perished in captivity far from his family, friends, and colleagues. The FBI will continue its relentless pursuit to hold anyone involved accountable for their reprehensible actions.”
In March 2025, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned these officials under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery Act, following 2020 sanctions against Baseri and Ahmad Khazai. Despite Iran’s denials, intercepted communications confirm MOIS’s role. The FBI offers a $5 million reward, with the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program adding $20 million, for information on Levinson’s fate. “Justice for Bob Levinson is not negotiable,” Jensen declared. “We are not done.” Posts on X reflect ongoing public interest, with one user stating, “18 years later, the FBI’s still fighting for Levinson, Iran can’t hide forever.” Levinson’s family, informed in 2020 of his likely death, continues to demand accountability.