US designates Iran as state sponsor of wrongful detention
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that Iran has been designated a state sponsor of wrongful detention under a new diplomatic tool created by executive order and legislation passed in September 2025. The designation targets Iran's practice of detaining US nationals and dual citizens on unproven charges, often using imprisonment as political leverage. Rubio specifically cited Iran's 1979-1981 hostage crisis as evidence of the regime's pattern of unjust detention. This move escalates US-Iran tensions amid threats of military action, with Rubio warning of potential travel restrictions on US passports to Iran and additional economic sanctions. Iran has a history of detaining Americans, including holding dual nationals for years on fabricated charges. The US is urging all non-emergency personnel and their families currently in Iran to leave immediately. Analysts note this is the first use of the new designation, modeled after the state sponsor of terrorism list, and comes as Iran threatens decisive retaliation against any US military aggression.