US urges Iran to give access to jailed journalist

* U.S. asks Iran for access to jailed journalist

* Father says freelance journalist has become "suicidal"

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday urged Tehran to grant consular access to an Iranian-American journalist jailed in Iran, whose father said she had become "suicidal" since her January incarceration.

"We are now are pushing for, through the Swiss, consular access, which we feel is particularly necessary at this time," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said at a briefing.

Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Tehran as Washington does not have diplomatic ties with Iran.

Duguid said the State Department had spoken to jailed freelance journalist Roxana Saberi's father on Tuesday after he talked earlier in the day via telephone with his daughter.

U.S.-born Saberi has worked for National Public Radio, the BBC, ABC News and other international media outlets.

"As you can imagine, her father's very concerned about her well-being, as are we, as certainly is Secretary (of State Hillary) Clinton," Duguid said.

Clinton has called for the reporter's immediate release. She was jailed on Jan. 31 and is being held in Tehran's Evin prison.

On Tuesday, Reza Saberi told Reuters he was "very worried" about his 31-year-old daughter after speaking to her via telephone.

"She is pretty suicidal," said the elder Saberi, who lives in Fargo, North Dakota. "She is saying she will go on a hunger strike if they keep her there. I tried to calm her down. I told her we are doing everything and to just hold on. Don't give in. We will try to secure her release."

Saberi said his daughter told him she had met with a prosecutor in Tehran and been told she may be in prison for several months and possibly up to two years.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman had said Saberi was working illegally after her press card was withdrawn two years ago.

An official from the Iranian prosecutor's office said earlier this month that Iran's investigation of Saberi had been completed and she would be freed soon.

Saberi's father said she was arrested ostensibly for buying a bottle of wine, which is banned under Iran's Islamic law. (Reporting by Sue Pleming; Editing by Will Dunham)