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U.S. Prisoner Who Stayed in Iran Was F.B.I. Consultant, Expatriate News Service Says U.S. Prisoner Who Stayed in Iran Was F.B.I. Consultant, Expatriate News Service Says
(35 minutes later)
An American prisoner recently freed by Iran, but about whom little is known, is a former California-based carpet seller and F.B.I. consultant, a news service run by expatriate Iranian journalists reported on Saturday. It said Iranian officials might have believed the man had links to the case of Robert A. Levinson, an American went missing in Iran nearly nine years ago. An American prisoner recently freed by Iran, but about whom little is known, is a former California-based carpet seller and F.B.I. consultant, a news service run by expatriate Iranian journalists reported on Saturday. It said Iranian officials might have believed the man had links to the case of Robert A. Levinson, an American who went missing in Iran nearly nine years ago.
The news service, Iranwire, also reported that the prisoner, Nosratollah Khosravi, whom it identified by an alternately used name, Nasrollah Khosravi-Roodsari, had left Iran. Mr. Khosravi was the only American prisoner who did not immediately depart the country after a deal to release prisoners was announced a week ago.The news service, Iranwire, also reported that the prisoner, Nosratollah Khosravi, whom it identified by an alternately used name, Nasrollah Khosravi-Roodsari, had left Iran. Mr. Khosravi was the only American prisoner who did not immediately depart the country after a deal to release prisoners was announced a week ago.
The report was based on what Iranwire said were interviews with Mr. Khosravi’s former cellmate and a family member, and confirmed with three independent sources, but not with Mr. Khosravi, whom it said could not be reached. None were identified by name.The report was based on what Iranwire said were interviews with Mr. Khosravi’s former cellmate and a family member, and confirmed with three independent sources, but not with Mr. Khosravi, whom it said could not be reached. None were identified by name.
There has been no other indication that Mr. Khosravi has left Iran, but international news organizations with correspondents there have not been able to locate or interview him.There has been no other indication that Mr. Khosravi has left Iran, but international news organizations with correspondents there have not been able to locate or interview him.
If confirmed, the Iranwire report would fill in some gaps in what is known about the prisoner release, in which five people, including four Iranian-American dual citizens, were released by Iran, and seven people, including six Iranian-American dual citizens, were released by the United States.If confirmed, the Iranwire report would fill in some gaps in what is known about the prisoner release, in which five people, including four Iranian-American dual citizens, were released by Iran, and seven people, including six Iranian-American dual citizens, were released by the United States.
Iranwire was created by Iranian journalists living outside the country, which exerts strict controls on the domestic news media. The founders include Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian who was himself a prisoner in Iran. It has maintained numerous contacts inside Iran.Iranwire was created by Iranian journalists living outside the country, which exerts strict controls on the domestic news media. The founders include Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian who was himself a prisoner in Iran. It has maintained numerous contacts inside Iran.
Mr. Bahari said in a Twitter post that Iranwire had waited to report on Mr. Khosravi’s background until it knew he was safely out of Iran.Mr. Bahari said in a Twitter post that Iranwire had waited to report on Mr. Khosravi’s background until it knew he was safely out of Iran.
It described Mr. Khosravi as a former soldier in his 50s who was deployed in northeast Iran after the country’s revolution in 1979, and who like many others left Iran in the 1980s for the United States. It said he moved to California, home to a large Iranian expatriate community, became known as Fred Khosravi, and worked in the carpet business as a designer and seller in California and Florida. The account quoted his Tehran cellmate as saying Mr. Khosravi had told him that he later went to work as a freelance consultant to the F.B.I., returned to Iran in late 2013 to visit his aged mother in Tonekabon, a city near the Caspian Sea, and decided to stay there and teach English.It described Mr. Khosravi as a former soldier in his 50s who was deployed in northeast Iran after the country’s revolution in 1979, and who like many others left Iran in the 1980s for the United States. It said he moved to California, home to a large Iranian expatriate community, became known as Fred Khosravi, and worked in the carpet business as a designer and seller in California and Florida. The account quoted his Tehran cellmate as saying Mr. Khosravi had told him that he later went to work as a freelance consultant to the F.B.I., returned to Iran in late 2013 to visit his aged mother in Tonekabon, a city near the Caspian Sea, and decided to stay there and teach English.
When Mr. Khosravi saw a BBC report about Mr. Levinson, a former C.I.A. and F.B.I. operative who has been missing in Iran since March 2007, the account said, he got in touch with an old F.B.I. contact to say he knew Mr. Levinson’s whereabouts. When interrogated by Iranian officials about this later, the account said, he claimed to have been under the influence of alcohol and had lied to impress his F.B.I. contact.When Mr. Khosravi saw a BBC report about Mr. Levinson, a former C.I.A. and F.B.I. operative who has been missing in Iran since March 2007, the account said, he got in touch with an old F.B.I. contact to say he knew Mr. Levinson’s whereabouts. When interrogated by Iranian officials about this later, the account said, he claimed to have been under the influence of alcohol and had lied to impress his F.B.I. contact.
The Iranian government has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Mr. Levinson’s disappearance or whereabouts. Mr. Levinson’s family members in South Florida have said they believe he is still alive.The Iranian government has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Mr. Levinson’s disappearance or whereabouts. Mr. Levinson’s family members in South Florida have said they believe he is still alive.
The Iranwire account said Mr. Khosravi was imprisoned last May by government intelligence agents when he tried to leave the country, and that for a long time never told family members that he had been detained. The account quoted his lawyer, whom it did not identify, as saying his arrest had been “the result of a misunderstanding.”The Iranwire account said Mr. Khosravi was imprisoned last May by government intelligence agents when he tried to leave the country, and that for a long time never told family members that he had been detained. The account quoted his lawyer, whom it did not identify, as saying his arrest had been “the result of a misunderstanding.”
The four other prisoners released by Iran, including Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post’s Tehran correspondent, have returned to the United States.The four other prisoners released by Iran, including Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post’s Tehran correspondent, have returned to the United States.
One returned former prisoner, Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor, has not reunited with his wife and two children, apparently opting instead to go straight to the Cove, a Christian support center in Asheville, N.C., started by the Rev. Billy Graham’s organization, according to his wife, Naghmeh Abedini, who lives in Boise, Idaho.One returned former prisoner, Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor, has not reunited with his wife and two children, apparently opting instead to go straight to the Cove, a Christian support center in Asheville, N.C., started by the Rev. Billy Graham’s organization, according to his wife, Naghmeh Abedini, who lives in Boise, Idaho.
Efforts to reach Mr. Abedini in Asheville were not immediately successful. A telephone receptionist at the Cove referred media inquiries to an outside spokesman, Todd Shearer of the Demoss Group Inc., an Atlanta public relations firm, who did not return phone messages.Efforts to reach Mr. Abedini in Asheville were not immediately successful. A telephone receptionist at the Cove referred media inquiries to an outside spokesman, Todd Shearer of the Demoss Group Inc., an Atlanta public relations firm, who did not return phone messages.