Washington ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama is calling for the immediate release of three American hikers seized by Iranian forces along the Iraqi border who will have been in custody for exactly a year on Saturday . `` Their unjust detention has nothing to do with the issues that continue to divide the United States and the international community from the Iranian government , '' Obama said in a statement Friday . `` This is a humanitarian imperative , as these three young people are innocent of any crime . '' The three Americans -- Sarah Shourd , Shane Bauer , and Josh Fattal -- were detained after they allegedly strayed across an unmarked border while hiking in Iraq 's Kurdistan region . The Nation magazine reported last month that two witnesses have said they saw members of Iran 's national police force cross into Iraq to apprehend the three . Tehran has claimed the three hikers are spies . Iran 's intelligence minister has hinted the country may consider releasing them in exchange for the release of Iranian prisoners , according to state media . `` I want to be perfectly clear : Sarah , Shane and Josh have never worked for the United States government , '' Obama said . `` They are simply open-minded and adventurous young people who represent the best of America , and of the human spirit . They are teachers , artists , and advocates for social and environmental justice . They have never had any quarrel with the government of Iran , and have great respect for the Iranian people . '' The president said he spoke with the hikers ' mothers this week and noted that the Iranian government allowed the women to visit their children earlier this year . But `` I can not imagine how painful it was for these three courageous women to return home without their children . I told these three mothers that Sarah , Shane and Josh are in my thoughts and prayers , and that the U.S. government would continue to do all that it could to secure their release . '' Meanwhile , the mothers continue to grow increasingly angry and exasperated as they press the Iranian government to free their children . `` This is unbelievable to us at this point , '' Nora Shourd told CNN 's American Morning earlier Friday . `` I mean , it is outrageous that they are still there . '' Shourd , the mother of hiker Sarah Shourd , said at first they thought the ordeal would be `` over fairly quickly . '' She said it has gone on `` long enough . '' Obama also recently spoke with the wife of Robert Levinson , a former FBI agent who went missing in Iran over three years ago . `` We continue to have no information about his welfare , and reiterate our call for the government of Iran to provide any information that it has about his whereabouts , '' the president said . `` It is time to facilitate Robert Levinson 's return to the family and friends who have suffered so greatly in his absence . ''
Three American hikers have been in Iranian custody for a year on Saturday . Obama says the hikers are `` innocent of any crime '' and calls for their release . Iran has accused the three of espionage .