he and levinson were both detained by iranian police on the day that levinson vanished, but he has some baggage of his own. he's an american fugitive given refuge in iran after admitting that he killed a pro-western iranian diplomat in the d.c. suburbs near here in 1980. u.s. officials have said he's not a credible source of information about robert levinson, wolf. >> brian, robert levinson's wife actually met with this fugitive at one point, right? >> she did. christine levinson says he did not give her much when she met with him. she says he told her he met with her husband, that bob levinson checked out of the hotel on kish island, but not much else, wolf. >> and joining us now the secretary of state john kerry. mr. secretary, thanks very much for joining us here in our situation room. i know you spend your other time in another situation room here in town. >> good to be here. >> you said accelerated by the nuclear talks, the nuclear deal. were these prisoners, pawns part of that deal? >> no. we really almost had an agreement -- and i thought we did have an agreement well before impl

the levinson family is horribly sad about the fact that bob remains in iran. i've been told that they've been told that every meeting that's taken place, bob has been brought up. when the news broke that americans were being returned, they were hopeful, so many were hopeful, he'd be among them. there's every reason for us to do exactly what the leavenvinsons are doing, what i'm ying to do, is make sure bob levinson's name is one that everyone in america knows and we keep up the presse until he comes home. >> you tweeted this week, it's time to ramp up efforts to bring bob levinson home. what did you mean, and what more can be done? >> first of all, we can support the family. bob is from coral springs. years, n ne years, since he went missingpin kish island in iran. we need to keep his name out there. we can do it in social media. we can highlight the -- what the family is going through. ultimately, we can increase the pressurere this iran deal that was done, the nuclear deal, only dealt with the nuclear component of iran. it didn't deal with their destabilizin

levinson has been left behind. we are devastated. i know you've been getting briefings from top u.s. officials, elise. the seven iranians being offered clemency now, meaning they're going to be allowed to leave prison, six of them are joint, dual u.s./iranian citizens. do we know if these about to be freed from u.s. prison after conviction or awaiting trial, will they stay in the united states, the six of them, who are dual citizens, or will they head back to iran? >> reporter: well, if they have u.s. citizenship, i'm really not sure. if they aren't accused of any crimes anymore, the u.s. official did not say anything about deporting them. but presumably, they'll want to go back to iran, if the iranians have been asking for them. the u.s. made clear that these seven individuals have not been either serving time for or charged with any crimes related to violence or terrorism. these were crimes related to violation of economic sanctions or the trade embargo. and so, the iranians have maintained that as, you know, bec

new clues about the whereabouts of former fbi agent bob levinson in 2007 levinson vanished in iran.been in extreme distress trying to find out where he is or even if he-'t is alive. now the "new york times" is reporting a top iranian official back in 2011 admitting levinson was in iran and also saying levinson's release could be negotiated. but levinson's family says they never heard. this and u.s. government never told them about it bob lessonson's son dan levinson is here to go "on the record." good evening. >> good evening. we keep pounding on this story. who was at these 2011 talks in europe. >> it was two people from religious organization and they were meeting with the iranian ambassador to france. and during the meeting, he had had said which -- in the report followed up to the fbi said made it very explicitly clear that the iranian government was holding him and there would be negotiations for his release. we didn't hear about this. and we don't know why the u.s. government is now saying they didn't even know if he was in iran because this is proof. what further proof do the

christine levinson: no, i would never consider that until i have proof. i believe every day he's trying to come home to our family. we will never give up. the presidential candidates are feeling the heat. there's less than 2-weeks left until voting kicks off in iowa. on the republican side, frontrunner donald trump pulled out all the steps...unleashing his secret weapon -- his daughter, ivanka. ivanka sot "i am so incredibly proud of my father / i know this man will make america great again. and on the democratic side, bernie sanders says he won't stop attacking frontrunner hilary clinton for taking money from wall street banks. she has received $600,000 in one year as speaking fees from goldman sachs. if that's not true, i will apologize. it's true." according to clinton campaign documents, sanders' is right. in the latest polls, sanders is within striking distance of clinton in iowa... and cruz and trump are neck-in- neck. g-o-p presidential hopeful ben carson has temporarily suspended his campaign after three volunters and a staffer were hurt in an acc

levinson. we don't have a lot of clarity right now on his whereabouts or his condition, but i can assure you and i can assure the levinson family that we are going to continue to work at it very, very hard. now that we have this channel opened up, we don't have as you pointed out in a previous segment, we don't have diplomatic relations with iran but we do now have a channel for dialogue. that opened up because of the iran deal. we use that channel to get those ten sailors home very very quickly. we used that channel to work the release of these american citizens that are now at landstuhl. we will continue to use that channel. it's good that we have it now, because we can maybe get a little bit more traction here on trying to find out what happened to mr. levinson and to bring him home. >> when brett mcgurke, the negotiator in this back secret channel, when he handed a list to the iranians and there was a series of back and forth over which iranians were going to be released, was robert levinso

they said he's not a credible source of information about robert levinson.rian todd, cnn, washington. >> the prisoner swap was complicated by an unforeseen incident. two vessels ended up in iranian waters. and iran took the soldiers prisoner. >> reporter: mr. secretary, you're a sailor. you were in the navy. when you saw those ten american sailors with their hands over their heads on their knees, was that enough for you -- did you threaten the iranians, zarif, the u.s. was going to walk away p immediately released? >> suffice it to say, i don't want to get into precise language. that's inappropriate, but let me make it clear. i was extremely upset, frustrated. it was inappropriate, and i made it very, very clear to the iranians that we needed those people back and we needed them right away. >> what would have happen first down they wouldn't have returned? >> i don't think it does any purpose my counterpart, the foreign minister responded promptly. he could not have been more serious. he understood the gravity of the situation. the iranian president and othe

they told reporters that levinson was not among those reunited with family. is no longer in iran. thth is why we continue to press for the information about his whereabouts. >> reporter: levinson's son dan believes the iranian government can and should s sd him home. >> there's nowhere -- no way that they do not know what happened to him and where he is right now. >> reporter: he vanished in 2007 while working for the cia. he was lt seen on a small iranian island. his family received a video and photos of him showing he was being held. since then no pictures but the family believes he is still alive. the white house says they are committed to bringing him home and made a part of the nuclear deal >> one of the things that was secured in this agreement was as his -- specific commitmenen from the iranians to help us locate him. >> reporter: they fear that with the deal completed and sanctions lifted there's left levinson's release.hehesesese they cannot abandon him and we are nok to go ay a will stounhes hnme. epeptur: t ty arted >>>>an: lled w w t >>> breakingngewou eae b dinherefze

levinson, do you consider whether bob might have in fact died in captivity? >> no, i will never consider that until i have proof. i believe every day he's trying to come home to our family. we will never give up. >> our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the levinson family. the ordeal that they have been through over the last, you know, almost nine years now, is -- is virtually unthinkable. >> reporter: today the white house vowed the u.s. will continue to press iran for details on levinson's fate. >> we have reason to believe >> reporter: today the u.s. released. seven men convicted of helping iran's nuclear program and dropped charges against 14 more. but none of the iranians freed from u.s. custody elected to go back to iran. the obama administration's with controversial. just as the iranian hostage crisis defined jimmy carter's presidency, ultimately dooming his re-election efforts, likewise the iran deal is at least a factor in the 2016 race. >> the fact is we shouldn't have to trade anything to get our citizens back home. >> we've got to shake ou

there is an issue over robert levinson. his family said he was working for the cia when he went missing off the coast of iran nine years ago. he was not included as part of the prisoner swap, but both governments agreed to work together to confirm his location. the iranian government denied detaining him. the white house says they believe he is not held in iran, but fbi investigators disagree with that. they say if he is alive, he is likely being held in iran. the levinson family said it is outrageous. after all this time, the american government is not on the same page in securing his release. christine. >> they are upset also that they heard about the prisoner swap on the news. they were given no head's up from the american government. they have been working so hard to get levinson back. phil, thank you for that. >>> the northeast bracing for a monster storm. when and where it will hit right after the break. "you don't want to live with mom and dad forever, do you?" "boo!" (laughs) "i'm making smoothies!" "well...i'm not

because bob levinson is still missing in iran. (standup) s/ kier simmons / nbc news / landstuhl, germany the iranians say they don't know where he is and that they are prepared to help in the search for him. that family, though, is saying that bob levinson has been abandoned. back to you. levinson, an american who worked for the c-i-a, resort on march ninth, 2007. president obama has said he will continue working to find levinson, and bring him home. she's been one of the leading voices for female education in pakistan. now the 18-year old nobel prize winner... malala yousafzai is spreading her message through fashion. the young activist designed this scarf with' toms'. it's a footwear and apparel company that helps a person in need with every product purchased. 100-percent of t t sales from the scarf will benefit her foundation. it retails for 48-dollars and is available at toms-dot-com. siouxland saw snow today. will we see more snow later in the work week? out against senator ted cruz's presidential candidacy today. if you're j

. >> reporter: harder still, for the family of bob levinson who >> please help me. >> reporter: levinson was a former fbi agent who disappeared in iran nearly a decade ago. his captors sent proof of life three years ago but his wife and son learned the disappointing news he would not be coming home from watching tv. >> not a call from the white house? or the state department? >> no, nothing. >> reporter: heartbroken they spoke with my colleague brian ross. >> we're devastated. we had been given assurances over the years that my dad would be a top priority to get him home as much as everybody else, if not more, because he's been held for almost nine years. >> mrs. levinson, do you consider whether bob might have in fact died in captivity? >> no, i will never consider that until i have proof. i believe every day he's trying to come home to our family. we will never give up. >> our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the levinson family. the ordeal that they have been through over the last, you know, almost nine years now, is -- is >> reporter: today the white house vowed the u.s. will

christine levinson: no, i would never consider that until i have proof. i believe every day he's trying to come home to our family. we will never give up. it sounds almost too strange to be true... a massachusetts teen is accused of convincing her boyfriend to kill himself- with her phone! the latest on her trial when we come back. plus.... while we're enjoying decent weather... the same cannot be said of our friends across the country. we'll show you what they're facing, when we come back. have you downloaded the all new channel 13 action news app yet? free in the app store and in do you think when you are president you'll be paid as much as if you were a man-male...? this is one of the jobs where they have to pay you thsame. but there are so many examples where that doesn't happen. i'm going to do everything i can to make sure every woman in every job gets paid the same... ...as the men who are doing that job. i'm hillary clinton and a fake call to police wastes their time and your tax dollars... it happened overnight... near sahara and sloan... why pol

levinson disappeared in iran nine years ago. his wife and son say the obama white house did not inform him -- inform them that he was not included in a prisoner exchange that was announced over the weekend. >> feel extremely betrayed by them. they have done nothing to get in touch with me other than after i asked them to. >> serving this country and his country hasn't done its duty to get him home. lou: we'll be taking up the latest developments in the iranian nuclear deal. we'll be talking with house foreign affairs committee member congressman matt salmon and fox news strategic analyst lieutenant colonel ralph peters tonight and more trouble for hillary clinton. serious trouble. new revelations information on her private e-mail server was more highly classified than she had admitted. we'll have the details coming up. our top story tonight fall out over president obama's negotiations with iran. the white house patting itself on the back for winning the release of five americans but one american family says they are devastated t

levinson is a former fbi agent. and at the time he disappeared in 2007 he was working as a cia contractor. his family has been highly critical of this deal announced this weekend in which iran released five u.s. citizens it held in prison while the u.s. released seven iranians it held and dropped charges agains others. the u.s. says that iran promised to provide help with the investigation into levinson's disappearance but iran has always denied knowing levinson's whereabouts. the family last received proof of life on levinson in 2010 and 2011 a video and photo showing him pleading for help. at the time official said analysis of the video and photo show he is likely being held not in iran but southwest asia, perhaps pakistan. now, fbi investigators believe that the levinson all along was being held in iran. and here's one thing that there's agreement among officials no matter which agency you talk to, the possibility exists that levinson died in captivity years ago, jake. we just got a statement from the levinson fa

will continue to press iran for details on levinson's fate. that he no longer is in iran. >> reporter: today the u.s. released. seven men convicted of helping iran's nuclear program and dropped charges against 14 more. but none of the iranians freed from u.s. custody elected to go back to iran. the obama administration's with iran remains hugely controversial. just as the iranian hostage crisis defined jimmy carter's presidency, ultimately dooming his re-election efforts, likewise the iran deal is at least a factor in the 2016 race. >> the fact is we shouldn't have to trade anything to get our citizens back home. >> we've got to shake our head at how it's happening. >> for one thing the republicans don't buy, iran's assurances that the country has suspended its nuclear weapons program. so wt does the former hostage think? >> do you feel that president obama made a bad deal? >> are you talking specifically about getting the five men back this week or four men? >> the whole thing. >> i think the iranians got a better deal than we did. >> reporte

officials tell abc news levinson was part of the negotiations and they still do not know why levinsonimately was not included. >>> back here at home tonight, and to those plunging gas prices in some cities and towns, dropping below $1 a gallon. in michigan, 84 cents a gallon. a short time later, dropping even lower. of course, the lines forming, the prices dropping. and abc's chief business correspondent rebecca jarvis on all the gas prices tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the ultimate price war at the pump. drivers lining up at that gas station in michigan could barely believe their eyes. prices slashed from 84 cents to just 47 cents a gallon. across the street, customers snapped pictures of the competition at just 54 crepts. >> there were lines of cars waiting to get gas. people filling up gas cans. it was kind of unbelievable to see gas that cheap. >> reporter: the national average for a gallon of regular tonight, $1.89. the cheapest gas since march of 2009. great news for consumers. >> puts extra money in my pocket. >> reporter: but a concern for energy companies and energy jobs. th

robert levinson, who was picked up in iran several years ago.iranians have not acknowledged he is in their custody although the u.s. believes he is. >> absolutely. the u.s. believes that robert levinson who was picked up on quiche island, very close to the shores of iran. he is in iranian detention as well. there is a video of him being captured. the iranians have not acknowledged they are holding him. there are many in the u.s. who believe he is. he is certainly one of the people they believe might have been on this list as well. we are going to keep digging who is the fourth person on the list might be. certainly, if you look at what happens to people that are being released. that is a big diplomatic achievement, wolf. looking towards, also, the larger structure if you will of the nuclear agreements. it certainly is the case. it seems that the diplomacy between iran and the united states has not been at the level it has been in the past couple of days for a very, very long time. >> fred, i want you to stand by. the two other names of american

about robert levinson's whereabouts. you remember he disappeared on iran's kish island in 2007. and it's been very unclear whether the iranian government knew about it, whether he was in jail. the u.s. said from time to time that it believed he was held in one of iran's prisons. that was never really verified by the iranian government. today, as the u.s. announced this deal, they said the iranian government has assured them they will seek information about his whereabouts and try to let the u.s. know something about the fate of on robert levinson. >> seven iranian prisoners in the united states, six of whom have u.s.-iranian citizenship, they are being given clemency. they will be released from jail. some of them were already convicted. others were awaiting trial. so they will be free. and 14 others on a watch list, u.s. sought their extradition through interpol. the u.s. is giving up on that as well. what do we know specifically about who these individuals are? >> well, what u.s. officials insist is none of these indivi

george colley had been following the story from dc sub where is bob levinson? the choosing the thing with supporters -- reporters, the white house said they are working with run government -- who was not trade with five other americans us part of a prisoner swap this we can. >>> the feelings that they on display i think feelings that are no one can relate to unless like that. levinson's family said it's happy for the family of the five americans release but they are -- their nine year search for answers continues. >>> what are they doing to get my dad home now what are the next steps? we are just lost. we are desperate. >> the levinson's are not only upset that rob was not part of the deal, they are upset for how they found out the deal took place. >> it's a very difficult for her family and specially that we were not told before this happened to get -- you with had learned it on our own watching tv. >>> the white house says it rain immediately the news the swap earlier than they anticipated. >> we are to treating it quite sensitively and so we -- until we knew

why wasn't robert levinson included in a prisoner swap with iran? his family, they'll join me live for their first interview here on cnn. plus, people including small children drinking poisonous water for more than a year. did politicians know? did they commit a crime? did they cover it up? >>> welcome to "the lead." i'm jim sciutto in today for jake tapper. and we begin with our politics lead. two weeks from today iowans will weigh in on the race for the white house. and perhaps shed some clarity on the most unusual unprecedented, unpredictab unpredictable, you pick the adjective presidential race in recent memory. political team is as always crisscrossing the country covering all the latest twists and turns in the political campaign as we count down to those first votes. so first we're going to go to cnn chief political correspondent dana bash who is as donald trump's rally in concord, new hampshire. dana, trump, ted cruz, they've been escalating attacks on each other. it was interesting we noted this morning at both events trump had this morning

christine levinson: i'm very disappointed. i feel extremely betrayed by them. they have done nothing to get in touch with me other than after i asked them to. levinson's wife christine and son dan said the white house has gone back on its word. dan levinson: we had been given assurances over the years that my dad would be a top priority to get him home as much as everybody else, if not more, because he's been held for almost nine years. a senior administration official tells abc news that levinson was part of the negotiations, but that the us does not know why he was not ultimately included in the swap. brian ross: mrs. levinson, do you consider whether bob might have, in fact, died in captivity? never consider that until i have proof. i believe every day he's trying to come home to our family. we will never give up. apparently wartime pressure on isis is forcing the terror group to slash its salaries. that's according to documents leaked from inside isis territory. the group hands out paychecks every other week. its employees earn between 400 and 12- hundred d

robert levinson disappeared to iran in 2007. his wife and son are here in studio 57 for their first interview since the weekend's prisoner swap. we will get their reaction ahead on "cbs this morning." >>> democratic presidential candidates have two weeks left to sharpen their attacks before the first primary. the three sparred last night in the final televised debate before the iowa caucuses. they debated aggressively, especially about health care and wall street. >> my proposal to provide health care get private insurance out of health insurance and lower the cost of health care. >> i'm not sure we are talking about the plan you introduced tonight or the plan you introduced nine times in the congress. not the rational way to go forward. it's medicare for all. it is whether we have the guts to stand up to the private insurance companies. >> president obama has led our country out of the great recession. senator sanders called him weak, disappointing. >> you know, we are friends and we worked together on many issues. you've recei

levinson is the longest held american hostage ever. his family said we are happy for the other families, but once again, bob levinson has been left behind. son, daniel, are with us for the first interview since the prisoner deal with irpan was announced over the weekend. i know this is a very difficult day so we thank you for joining us this morning. i'm wondering if you were caught off guard by the prisoner relos and what you were told in your first thoughts when you were told bob levinson was not among them. >> we were not told in advance. i actually had to turn on the tv to find out what was going on, which was really disappointing. and i felt very betrayed and devastated that i hadn't even received a phone call to let me know this was happening because we had been promised that when the other people were released, bob would be with them. and he was not. >> you felt betrayed by? >> by the united states government. >> by the president and secretary of state? >> yes. >> who was the promise from? and have they given you any reason why

will work hard to free robert levinson.gent and disappeared more than eight years ago in iran. he was working as a consultant for the cia. levinson is the longest held american hostage ever. in a statement this weekend his family said, quote, we are happy for the other families. but once gwynne, bob levinson has been left behind. his wife christine and their son daniel is with us for their first interview since the prisoner swap was announced over the weekend. we know this is a very difficult day and we thank you for joining us this morning. i wonder if you were caught off-guard by the prisoner release and what you were told and your first thoughts when you were told that bob levinson was not among them? >> we were not told. i actually had to turn on the tv to find out what was going on, which was really just disappointing. and i felt very betrayed and devastated that i hadn't even received a phone call to let me know this was happening, because we had been promised that when the other people were released, bob would be wit

but levinson's family is accusing iranian officials of playing games. dan levinson, son "any kind of comments about locating him is nonsense to us because the us government believes, we all believe. i think it's very obvious that the iranian exactly where he is. and it takes more than just cooperation to find him because we honestly don't know where exactly he is, but the iranians certainly do. " iran has long denied holding robert levinson. last march the fbi increased the reward for information on levinson to five- million dollars. like a scene out of a movie ... a price war between two gas stations ... sends gas prices down ... to lows not seen in decades ... this picture is from earlier ... in michigan. regular gas -- advertised as low at 47-cents a gallon. rough driving conditions didn't stop motorists from flooding the area. police officers were even on scene to direct long lines of drivers -- cashing in on the cheap gas... but it didn't last long.. prices did go back up to around 1-47 a we're not seeing gas that low... but we are still benefittin