The United States has criticized the "complete lack of transparency" in the trial of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who has been detained in Iran for almost 10 months on charges that include "espionage."
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan made the comments on May 26, after Rezaian's trial started in Tehran behind closed doors.
"While we call for this trial to be open, we also maintain that Jason should never have been detained or put on trial in the first place," Meehan said.
Rezaian, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The Washington Post's Tehran bureau chief has been in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since his arrest in July.
His wife, Yeganeh Salehi, who is also a journalist, was freed on bail but faces similar charges.