Independent American journalist Roxana Saberi has been missing in Iran since February 10th, when she told her family in the states that Iranian police would be holding her for just a few days. Fast forward three weeks and she still hasn’t been heard from. Understandly, the people that were last holding her are suspected of playing a role in her disappearance.

A U.S. journalist has been arrested in Iran, and her father said Sunday she told him in a brief phone call she was detained after buying a bottle of wine.

Roxana Saberi, 31, has not been heard from since her last call on Feb. 10, her father, Reza, told The Associated Press on Sunday. …

Officials in Iran have not publicly confirmed the arrest. A duty officer at the U.S. State Department said Sunday officials were looking into an AP request for information on the case.

And now the Islamic Republic has suddenly come out with accusations that Saberi was illegally gathering news. Yes, really.

Iran said on Monday that a freelance US journalist with Iranian nationality who is reportedly being detained in the Islamic republic has been gathering news “illegally.”

Foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi did not confirm or deny whether Roxana Saberi, 31, was being detained by the Iranian authorities, but said her activities were “illegal”. …

“Ever since her credentials were revoked by Ershad, her activities have been illegal,” Ghashghavi said, referring to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, which provides press accreditation for foreign journalists and Iranian reporters working for foreign media in Iran.

“Since 2006 when her press accreditation was revoked, she should not have illegally sought to gather information and news in Iran.”

It should be noted that Ms. Saberi actually maintains Iranian citizenship and, despite having her credentials revoked in 2006, the country allowed her to continue gathering information for a book on the Iranian people until last month. She has simply been gathering information to introduce the Iranian citizenry to the world.

Iranians have held and then released American and other western citizens multiple times in the past 2+ decades. Now is the time for the Obama Administration to prove the effectiveness of “smart power” and soft diplomacy in freeing Americans. Iran is supposed to make further comment on the situation this evening. We shall see.