The United States has designated Iran as a state sponsor of wrongful detention, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced. He said the Iranian government has a long history of detaining American citizens and nationals of other countries to use as political leverage, a practice he described as unacceptable and in need of an immediate end.

The designation follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last fall aimed at protecting United States nationals from wrongful detention abroad, as well as new legislation passed by Congress authorizing the move. Rubio said Iran must release all Americans it holds unjustly in order to have the designation lifted.

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Rubio reiterated a warning for Americans to leave Iran immediately and cautioned that further measures could be taken, including travel restrictions involving United States passports. President Trump also signaled a tougher stance in ongoing disputes, while Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel to discuss Iran and other regional issues.