Washington, Feb. 28 -- United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, February 27, designated Iran as a "state sponsor of wrongful detention", escalating pressure on Tehran over the continued detention of American citizens.

Rubio said the move aims to compel Iran to end what Washington describes as hostage diplomacy. He urged the country to release all Americans held without due process, adding that progress could lead to a review of the designation.

He also warned that the United States could eventually invalidate US passports for travel to Iran if there is no improvement, signalling possible tighter restrictions.

This is the first such action under an executive order signed in September 2025. The measure is intended to ...