Biden Give Iran Access To $6 Billion In Swap
The Biden administration has reportedly signed an agreement with Iran to pay the rogue regime $6 billion in exchange for five detained American citizens.
The deal, according to the Associated Press, promised the release of five Iranian citizens held in the U.S. as part of the bargain. It also included a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. The money, it was later confirmed, would then be held in Qatar’s central bank for Iran to use, reportedly for the purchase of humanitarian goods.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the deal late last week, and the transfer of the $6 billion was the “critical element in the prisoner release deal” according to the AP. Congress, however, was allegedly not notified of the deal until Monday, which was also 9/11, the 22nd anniversary of the U.S. suffering terrorist attacks by Islamic fundamentalists.
The deal appears to go against the U.S. policy of not paying countries to release American prisoners, as it would inevitably incentivize the behavior. Several European nations reportedly “balked” at participating in the transfer of $6 billion, but the Biden administration’s blanket waiver was aimed at easing their concerns.
The move is undoubtedly certain to draw criticism from the current administration’s opponents. Republicans and other opposing views will likely call it an effort to “boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to U.S. troops and Mideast allies.”
The Biden administration’s decision to sign an agreement with Iran to pay the rogue regime $6 billion in exchange for the release of five American citizens has not been well received in many regards. The deal clearly goes against the U.S. policy of not rewarding countries for captured citizens. Furthermore, some fear that it could embolden Iran and that their economy, which has already been crippled due to sanctions, could begin to rebuild.
The administration’s decision to sign the deal is a highly debatable and controversial one without a clear consensus. While the lives of the five American citizens were undoubtedly saved, only time will tell what kind of reaction this agreement could bring and the consequences it might have on the situation between the US and Iran.