Iran says Lebanese-American arrested for ‘intelligence ties’

Iran has arrested a Lebanese-American on suspicion of having links to the US intelligence community, state television reported Tuesday, but an official in Washington indicated the man was not a US national.

It was unclear when or where the suspect had been arrested but the report identified him as Nezar Zaka and said he was suspected of “multiple close ties to the US military and intelligence communities.”

The broadcaster aired photographs of what it said was Zaka in military uniform on a US base.

The US State Department, while not officially confirming there had been an arrest, said the suspect was Lebanese with permanent US residency papers.

Elizabeth Trudeau, a State Department spokeswoman, said the man had a “green card” rather than a US passport, so it was up to his country of origin to provide consular service.

Four Iranian-Americans are being held in Iran. They include Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who has been held since July last year on spy charges.

His employer says he has been found guilty in an “outrageous injustice.”

Iranian officials have not detailed the charges of which he has been convicted but have said that he can appeal.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said Iran is trying to resolve Rezaian’s case “from a humanitarian point of view.”

Tehran does not recognize dual nationality for its citizens.