The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has set up a new Facebook page in Farsi as part of its effort to find retired agent Robert Levinson, who went missing in Iran 2007.
The U.S. government is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Levinson's return, but his whereabouts and the circumstances regarding his disappearance remain a mystery.
The Farsi page features pictures of Levinson in various conditions along with text explaining that he went missing after traveling to Kish Island. The posts appeal for people to share any information they have about Levinson, explaining that they can report it anonymously using a given telephone number or website.
The first post on the page is from January 15, and so far more than 1,800 people have "liked" the page.
Farsi is the predominant language in Iran. The FBI has also put out statements about Levinson's case in Arabic, Dari and Pashto. The Associated Press said the agency is planning to expand the Facebook effort further with pages in Arabic and Urdu.
Iran has denied knowing anything about Levinson's whereabouts.
Rezaian's release
His case received increased attention last month when Iran released a group of detained Americans that included Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. However, there was no sign of Levinson.
His family has called on both Iran and the U.S. to follow through on promises to locate him. Levinson's son Daniel told VOA's Persian service the family believes people in the Iranian government know where he is and that his return is an opportunity to show how the two countries can work together.
