State-run media say the foreign ministry told the Swiss envoy in Tehran that it expects the U.S. to use its influence to secure their release without any preconditions. Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran because Washington and Tehran do not have diplomatic relations.

Also Tuesday, Iranian state media said the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, traveled to Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials.