The sterile conference room in Islamabad held a chilling echo for me, a mother’s worst nightmare made real. Across the table from the American Vice President sat Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan – a man my family knows not as a diplomat, but as a key figure in the abduction and death of my husband, Robert Levinson.
Bob was a patriot, dedicating thirty years of his life to serving the United States. In March 2007, while on a mission, he vanished in Iran. For years, the regime denied any knowledge of his whereabouts, a cruel charade punctuated by taunting hostage videos and heartbreaking images of him in an orange jumpsuit sent to our seven children and me.
The truth, finally revealed, was devastating. Bob died in Iranian custody. The FBI has identified five officials directly involved in his fate, and one of them, Mohammad Baseri, was recently eliminated in a targeted strike. Yet, here was Moghadam, a wanted man, negotiating with American officials as if nothing had happened – a profound and deeply personal insult.
My family’s agony isn’t just about the loss of a husband and father; it’s about the repeated failures to prioritize his freedom. President Obama, with immense leverage during the JCPOA negotiations, chose to release $1.7 billion to Iran without securing any answers about Bob. President Biden followed suit, sending another $6 billion in a prisoner exchange that completely ignored my husband’s case.
Each time, Iran received a financial windfall while Bob remained forgotten, a pawn sacrificed for political expediency. It’s a pattern of weakness that has allowed this regime to operate with impunity, believing they face no real consequences for their actions.
There is a stark contrast in leadership. A previous administration understood a fundamental truth: Iran only respects strength. They designated Iran a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention and took decisive military action to degrade their nuclear program and alter the regime’s power structure. This isn’t just rhetoric; it’s a demonstration of resolve.
I don’t seek retribution, only justice. I need to know what truly happened to Bob. I yearn for his remains to be returned, allowing him to finally rest in peace with the dignity he deserves. My children deserve closure, an end to the agonizing uncertainty that has haunted them for nearly two decades.
There is a path forward. Billions of dollars in Iranian assets remain frozen in Qatari banks. A previous directive exists, authorizing the seizure of a portion of those funds to satisfy court judgments held by American victims of Iranian terrorism – judgments totaling roughly $2 billion. This is not about emptying Iran’s coffers, but about accountability.
It’s time for Iran to pay for its crimes against Bob Levinson, and against all those it has harmed. It’s time for a leader who understands that strength, not appeasement, is the only language this regime understands. It’s time to finally bring Bob home.
