Biden sanctions entities in Russia and Iran over detained Americans including journalist Evan Gershkovich

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced new sanctions Thursday against intelligence organizations in Russia and Iran to try to secure the release of wrongfully detained Americans held in both countries, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The sanctions, expected to be the first of several aimed at bringing home Americans held overseas, target Russia's Federal Security Service and the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as four of its leaders.

Both entities operate as intelligence organizations and are deemed responsible by the administration for the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals.

The sanctions, which are also meant to deter future hostage-taking, will deny the entities' assets that are in possession or controlled by U.S. citizens, effectively blocking them from much of the global financial system, according to senior Biden administration officials who discussed the measures on the condition of anonymity.

"Today – and every day – our message to Russia, Iran, and the world is holding hostage or wrongfully detaining Americans is unacceptable," Biden said in a statement. "Release them immediately."

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Gershkovich, a 31-year-old Wall Street Journal Reporter, has been held in a Russian jail for three weeks after being charged with espionage. Russia's Federal Security Service accused him of spying. A Russian judge denied an appeal by Gershkovich last week.

The judge ruled that Gershkovich, who worked as a Russia correspondent for the Journal, is to stay in jail awaiting an investigation and trial. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years.

Biden, who called Gershkovich's arrest "totally illegal," spoke to members of his family by phone earlier this month.

While the Biden administration last year successfully negotiated the return of WNBA star Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap with Russia, former Marine Paul Whelan remains imprisoned in Russia over a 2020 espionage conviction.

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In Iran, Siamak Namazi has been held since 2015, when he was detained on a business trip for having "relations with a hostile nation," the U.S.

Two other Americans, environmentalist Morad Tahb and businessman Emad Shargi, also remain detained in Iran following arrests in 2018.

“I remain deeply worried that the White House just doesn’t appreciate how dire our situation has become,” Siamak Namazi, speaking by phone, told CNN in March.

The sanctions were made possible by an executive order Biden signed in July that provided expanded tools to the State Department to bring home hostages and detained Americans including the ability to sanction individuals and groups considered the culprits.

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Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden administration announces sanctions after Evan Gershkovich arrest