TEHRAN, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed the recent arrest of a U.S. national in the Iranian northeastern city of Mashhad, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.

Michael R. White, the American national, was arrested in Iran's Mashhad city several month ago and Iran informed the American government of his detention through the U.S. interest section in Tehran, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.

In the absence of diplomatic or consular relations of the United States with Iran, the Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, has been serving as the protecting power of the United States in Iran since May 21, 1980.

Qasemi dismissed western reports about unfavorable condition of White in detention, saying that "such reports are lies, false and are categorically denied."

Michael R. White, 46, a U.S. navy veteran from California, has been imprisoned in Iran since July 2018 on unknown charges, according to Western media.

White was arrested as he and his girlfriend were about to fly out of Hasheminejad Airport in Mashhad, the New York Times reported.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it was aware of the reports of White's detention.