U.S. urges Iran to disclose whereabouts of missing American

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States urged Iran on Thursday to disclose the whereabouts of the American named Robert Levinson who went missing in Iran one year ago.

"American citizen Rebert Levinson disappeared in Iran a year ago during a March 8-9 business trip to Kish Island (in Iran)," the State Department said in a statement.

The statement said that the wife, son and sister-in-law of Levinson visited Iran in December last year. "While the Iranian authorities guaranteed the security of the family during their journey, they provided few details from their investigation," the statement said.

The statement urged Iran to disclose all the information the Iranian authorities have uncovered about Levinson. "If Iran is holding Mr. Levinson, we demand that the Iranian authorities notify us to that effect ... and release him and reunite him with his family," the statement said.

Iran has said it does not have any record of Levinson.

Washington has no diplomatic relations with Teheran since April 1980, five months after Iranian students occupied the American embassy in Teheran. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.