US labels Iran State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention

US designates Iran as State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention, escalating pressure amid decades of alleged hostage-taking. Secretary Rubio cites 47-year history of detaining Americans for political leverage, citing Ayatollah Khomeini's endorsement of 1979 embassy seizure. Trump's 2025 Executive Order and Countering Wrongful Detention Act set conditions for lifting designation: release of unjustly detained Americans and end of arbitrary incarceration. Rubio warns of potential US passport restrictions if detention persists, advising Americans in Iran to leave immediately. Deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups signals military escalation. Rubio will discuss Iran with Netanyahu in Israel, who rejects any deal without Iran abandoning enriched uranium, missile capabilities, and terror support.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/28/us-designates-iran-as-state-sponsor-of-wrongful-detention/