BREAKING NEWS

Iranian-American businessman arrested in Iran

By REUTERS

OCTOBER 30, 2015 03:39

WASHINGTON - An Iranian-American businessman was arrested by Iranian security forces two weeks while he was visiting relatives in Tehran from his home base in Dubai, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The newspaper, citing people briefed on the situation, said Siamak Namazi, head of strategic planning at Crescent Petroleum Co, was arrested by the Revolutionary Guard's intelligence arm, which reports to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In recent weeks, Iranian business officials with ties to foreign companies had been held, interrogated and warned against wading into economic monopolies controlled by the Revolutionary Guard, the Journal said, quoting several businessman interviewed inside and outside Iran.

A senior official in US President Barack Obama's administration told Reuters: "We're aware of recent reports of the possible arrest in Iran of a US citizen. We're looking into these reports and don't have anything further to provide at this time."

The report comes as Washington has urged Tehran to free three other Americans it is holding, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and to help find Robert Levinson, an American who disappeared in Iran eight years ago.

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