Longtime captive and former FBI agent Bob Levinson presumed dead, family reveals

Long-time Iranian captive and former FBI agent Robert Levinson has likely died, his family said on Wednesday. 

"We recently received information from U.S. officials that has led both them and us to conclude that our wonderful husband and father died while in Iranian custody," his family wrote in a Facebook post.

The family members, who have not seen Levinson in 13 years, said that while they lack information about when and how he deceased, his death occurred before the coronavirus pandemic.

The family also blasted the Iranian regime.

"They kidnapped a foreign citizen and denied him any basic human rights, and his blood is on their hands," the family wrote.

They have not received Levinson's body yet and do not know if they ever will. 

"This is the very definition of cruelty," they said.

The family will continue working to see people held accountable. They also expressed their gratitude to those who have worked to help over the years.

"Those who are responsible for what happened to Bob Levinson, including those in the U.S. government who for many years repeatedly left him behind, will ultimately receive justice for what they have done," they said. "We will spend the rest of our lives making sure of this, and the Iranian regime must know we will not be going away. We expect American officials, as well as officials around the world, to continue to press Iran to seek Bob's return, and to ensure those Iranian officials involved are held accountable."

President Trump spoke about the news during a Wednesday evening press conference.

"No I don't accept it that he's dead," he said in response to a question. "I mean I'm telling you it's not, it's not looking great but I, I won't accept that he's dead. They haven't told us that he's dead, but a lot of people are thinking that that is the case," the president said.

The FBI says that Levinson, a retired FBI agent, disappeared after traveling to Iran in 2007 as a private investigator.