An American-born Iranian journalist working for Iran's state-funded English-language news network Press TV is said to be in custody after landing in the United States to visit an ailing brother.

Marzieh Hashemi was reportedly detained at St. Louis International Airport Jan. 14 and taken to a Washington, DC, facility by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to Press TV, citing family and friends. The FBI has yet to comment on the story. But Press TV says it has learned that its 59-year-old anchor was denied contact to her family members for 48 hours. She has recounted different forms of "mistreatment" such as being handcuffed and shackled, forced to remove her hijab, offered only pork — which is forbidden in Islam — and photographed without a headscarf.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry was quick to condemn the arrest, demanding the journalist's immediate and unconditional release. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi slammed the US government for what he called an apartheid-style treatment of non-white citizens, referring to Hashemi’s African-American background. "The United States has turned into a dangerous country for journalists," he concluded.

Press TV's CEO Peyman Jebelli separately warned that the US government will be held responsible for the health of the anchor, who he described as a "serious critic" of "evil" US policies. The TV host is known among viewers for her attacks against perceived racial profiling by the US government as well as discrimination against American Muslims.