The Guardian - Iranhas confirmed it is holding a US navy veteran, Michael R White, at a prison in the country, making him the first American known to be detained under Donald Trumps administration.
Whites detention ratchets up the rising tension betweenIranand the US, which under Trump has pursued a maximalist campaign against Tehran that includes pulling out of its nuclear deal with world powers.
While the circumstances of Whites detention remain unclear, Iran in the past has used its detention of westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported the confirmation, citing a foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi.