Pakistan Defends Iranian Envoy Amid US Allegations

Following the inclusion of the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “most wanted” list, Pakistan has voiced its support for the diplomat. The FBI alleges his involvement in the 2007 disappearance of former FBI agent Robert Levinson.

Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan issued a statement on Wednesday, asserting that Pakistan holds Ambassador Moghadam in high regard as a properly recognized representative of a neighboring nation.

The statement highlighted the ambassador’s substantial contribution to fostering bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran, reinforcing Islamabad’s dedication to maintaining amicable relations with Tehran.

The FO spokesperson stated, “As far as Pakistan is concerned, the ambassador of Iran is widely respected for his role in the promotion of Pakistan-Iran relations. He is entitled to all the privileges, immunities, and respect due to an ambassador, especially from a friendly neighboring country.”

The FBI recently added Moghadam to its most wanted list, alleging his involvement in the abduction, detention, and presumed death of Robert Levinson, a retired FBI agent who disappeared after traveling to Kish Island, Iran, in 2007.

Levinson has not been seen publicly since his disappearance, and his family, supported by US intelligence assessments, believes he died while in Iranian custody.

According to the FBI, Moghadam, an official within Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, was among those sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury in March 2025 for his alleged role in the Levinson case.

The bureau is offering a reward of up to $5 million, and the US State Department’s Rewards for Justice Programme has pledged an additional $20 million for information that leads to Levinson’s recovery.

The FBI’s action occurs amidst heightened tensions following the recent conflict between Iran and Israel and renewed diplomatic activity concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

The US and its European allies have established a provisional deadline at the end of August to finalize a new nuclear agreement with Tehran. Failure to do so may result in triggering the “snapback” mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions.

In response to the FBI’s most wanted list, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Jim Risch stated that the FBI is taking the lead in ensuring Iran is held responsible for the abduction of Bob Levinson.

He affirmed in a post on X, “We will never forget Bob and his family, and we will hold those responsible to account for their crimes.”

Washington’s move follows the recent conflict between Iran and Israel. During a telephonic conversation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK agreed to set a deadline at the end of August for achieving a nuclear agreement with Iran.

If an agreement is not reached by the deadline, the three European powers intend to activate the “snapback” mechanism, which would automatically reimpose all UN Security Council sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 Iran deal.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump commented that Tehran had aspirations to engage in discussions with the US, but he was in no urgency to converse with Iran, which has declined to participate in nuclear discussions if they are contingent upon the country abandoning its uranium enrichment activities.