WASHINGTOND.C, February 27, 2026 — The United States has formally designated Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” escalating diplomatic pressure on Tehran over what Washington describes as decades of using the detention of Americans and other foreigners as political leverage.
In an official statement issued on February 27, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation — the first under a new framework created by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to Protect U.S. Nationals from Wrongful Detention Abroad (issued last fall) and the Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 passed by Congress.
“Today, I am designating Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” Rubio said. “When the Iranian regime seized power 47 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini consolidated his control of power by endorsing the hostage taking of U.S. embassy staff. For decades, Iran has continued to cruelly detain innocent Americans, as well as citizens of other nations, to use as political leverage against other states. This abhorrent practice must end.”
Rubio directly urged Iran to act: “The Iranian regime must stop taking hostages and release all Americans unjustly detained in Iran, steps that could end this designation and associated actions.”
He warned that failure to comply would trigger further measures, including a potential geographic travel restriction on the use of U.S. passports to, through, or from Iran.
“No American should travel to Iran for any reason. We reiterate our call for Americans who are currently in Iran to leave immediately,” the statement added.
The announcement quickly spread across social media, including a widely shared post by the account @BRICSinfo that framed the development with U.S. and Iranian flags under the headline “JUST IN: United States says Iran has begun taking Americans hostage.” The post has amassed over 800,000 views, 12,000 likes, and hundreds of replies, with users debating whether it signals impending military escalation or continued diplomatic maneuvering.
Major international outlets including Reuters, CBS News, The Times of Israel, and The Hindu confirmed the State Department statement, describing it as part of broader U.S.-Iran tensions amid stalled nuclear negotiations and regional conflicts.
Iran has not yet issued an official response to the designation.
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