A former FBI agent has been missing in Iran since March 8, according to U.S. officials.

The unnamed former agent was on private business, but the United States is now sufficiently concerned about his welfare that the State Department today sent a formal message to Iran through Swiss intermediaries asking about his whereabouts and his situation. The Swiss Embassy represents U.S. interests in Iran.

Originally posted by Mainer
This is the same place Iran is supposed to open up their Oil Bourse in the very near future. The opening of which has been speculated to on this very forum as the reason for an impending American attack on Iran. AS it would allow for the trading of oil in non US Dollars, significantly weakening the strength of the Dollar.

Hmmmm.

State Dept. Daily Press Briefing April 2, 2007

QUESTION: Do you have anything on this -- there's apparently a private -- there's an American citizen who was -- has been reported missing in Iran.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: Do you have any details on this citizen, and what was he doing there? Anything else you may have would be welcome.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right. There's a limited amount that we can offer you at this point because we don't have a Privacy Act waiver, but there is an American citizen, private citizen, who is in business -- who was in Iran on private business about which we're -- about whom we're pursuing a welfare and whereabouts case. We have been monitoring the situation for a couple of weeks now. Today we are sending to the Iranian Government through the Swiss channel an inquiry as to whether or not they have any information on his welfare and whereabouts. That's really about all that I have at the moment.

Coral Springs retired FBI agent reportedly missing Iran

Coral Springs -- A retired FBI agent who has apparently gone missing while on a business trip in Iran is from Coral Springs, South Florida Sun-Sentinel news partner CW 39 reported late Monday.

The agent's name and hometown have not been released by the U.S. State Department, which announced Monday that the retired agent had not contacted his family for weeks. The State Department said it would ask the Iranian government if it had any information on the case, which federal authorities said they are treating as a missing person and nothing more.

U.S. has asked Iran twice on missing man

WASHINGTON - The State Department said Tuesday that a letter it sent this week to the Iranian government seeking information about a missing American is its second inquiry in a month.

Spokesman Sean McCormack said the department first asked about the case March 12, shortly after the former FBI agent was reported missing, but it had not received any credible information in response.

As a result, the department on Monday sent a letter to authorities in Iran asking for help in locating the man, he said.

A U.S. official familiar with the case identified the missing former FBI agent as Robert Levinson. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said Levinson was on or near the Island of Kish when last heard from.

U.S. searches for retired FBI agent reported missing in Iran

MIAMI - One-time FBI agent Robert Levinson was known for targeting international crime with his sharp mind and super-secret sources.

He tapped a few informants in Panama to help Miami prosecutors build a big drug case against Manuel Noriega. The ex-dictator, suspected of letting a Colombian cartel ship tons of coc aine through his country, was convicted in 1992.

"He was an agent who dedicated himself to intelligence as opposed to a gumshoe chasing down leads," said former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis, who worked on the Noriega case. "He was a stealthy guy."

Former S. Fla. FBI Agent Vanishes In Iran

CBS4) CORAL SPRINGS More questions than answers Tuesday after a former FBI agent from South Florida vanished on a trip to Iran.

Co-workers describe him as highly intelligent, possessed amazing language skills, and definitely had a successful career with FBI where he worked primarily domestic organized crime cases.

Now family and friends of 59-year old Robert Levinson, from Coral Springs, are worried about what may have happened to him.

US, Iran downplay FBI agent's disappearance

American and Iranian officials downplayed the disappearance of a former FBI agent in Iran last month, with a US diplomatic official describing the case as routine and saying several Americans go temporarily missing each year in Iran.

Wes Robertson, a spokesman for the US Embassy in the Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, said the State Department has already contacted Iran for information on the American, identified as Robert Levinson of Coral Springs, Florida.