Iraq News Now

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An Iranian court sentenced a US Navy veteran to 10 years in prison for insulting the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader and posting a private picture.

Michael White, 46, was sentenced to two, 10-year concurrent prison terms in the city of Mashhad on Saturday.

His lawyer Mark Zaid confirmed the news to AFP in an email.

"We remain very concerned about his health as he has pre-existing medical conditions but we've been informed he appears to be in a good state at the moment," Zaid said.

Neither Iranian state media, nor the courts have released the ruling.

White was arrested last July while visiting an Iranian woman. He served 13 years in the US Navy.

"After receiving news of the conviction we're in the process of hiring a local Iranian attorney to pursue whatever appeals exist. It's unclear at this time whether Michael is simply an unfortunate foreigner caught in a very different legal system or being used as a political pawn," Zaid added.

He joins three other Americans imprisoned in Iran: businessman Siamak Namazi, former UNICEF diplomat Baquer Namazi, and doctorate candidate Xiyue Wang.

Additionally, former US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Robert Levinson has been missing in the country since 2007.

“After three very different presidential administrations, we are no closer to bringing Bob home than when we started,” Christine Levinson, Levinson’s wife, said during her testimony, according to The New York Times. “We have nothing.”

Jason Rezaian, currently a writer for The Washington Post and CNN contributor, spent 14 months detained in Iran. Former US Special Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk worked to negotiate his release.

Rezaian worked as a reporter for Bloomberg prior to his detainment. He underscored the problems many dual nationals face — a status not recognized by Tehran.

“I’m Iranian by birth and I’m American by choice, and I’m proud of both," wrote Rezaian.