TEHRAN – Iran has dismissed as “lies” reports by U.S. media outlets claiming that an American citizen recently arrested in Iran is being held in suboptimal conditions.

“An American citizen named Michael White was arrested in the city of Mashhad a while ago and the American Interests Section in Tehran was informed in the first days” since his arrest, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told reporters on Wednesday.

Qassemi said, “We strongly reject such untrue and false reports.”

On Tuesday, CBS News claimed the 46-year-old had been in detention since last summer and “was suffering psychologically and was being held in a ward with dangerous criminals.”

This is while a U.S. State Department official confirmed that it had been informed of White’s arrest but told the Times “we have no additional information to provide at this time.”

SP/PA