The White House said on Friday it feared for the well-being of three Americans detained by Iran since July and called for their immediate release.
"We were deeply alarmed to learn from the families today of their physical and emotional state of health," White House press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
ran said earlier this month it had proof the three held on espionage charges had links to intelligence services. Their families said they were hiking and had accidentally strayed across the border from Iraq. US officials have said the three accidently hiked over the border from northern Iraq.
The detention of Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, has further complicated US-Iranian relations as US president Barack Obama leads a push for tighter U.N. sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program.
Gibbs welcomed Iran's decision to allow the Americans "to receive another Swiss consular visit at long last." The two countries have had no diplomatic ties since shortly after Iran''s 1979 Islamic revolution.
But he said, "We fear their well-being will suffer even more unless their case is resolved without delay. We strongly believe these urgent developments are additional reasons for the government of Iran to release them immediately," in a reference to their declining health.
Gibbs also criticized Iran for holding the Americans without formal charges or access to legal defense.
Earlier this month, Iranian intelligence minister Haidar Moslehi was quoted by English language website Press TV as saying Tehran had "compelling evidence that three Americans arrested in Iran last year were cooperating with intelligence services."
Moslehi gave no further details, adding only: "Iran will present its evidence to the media soon."
