NEWS
US Moves To Close Prisoner Swap Deal With Iran With $6B Sanctions Waiver
Courtesy of secblinken/Instagram
The Biden administration is looking to secure the release of five Americans detained in Iran by releasing $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds along with five Iranian nationals held in the U.S.
Congress was officially notified on Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken late last week signed off on sanctions waivers that would allow $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds to be transferred from restricted accounts in the Republic of Korea to restricted accounts in Qatar, where they will “be available only for humanitarian trade.”
The prisoner exchange negotiations have been underway for more than a year, and the latest move could bring the detained Americans home this month.
But the deal was swiftly criticized by Republican lawmakers, who argue the deal only rewards Iran for holding innocent Americans, and balloons the price the U.S. pays for such deals.
“It’s ridiculous for US to be blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages which will help indirectly finance the number 1 foreign policy of Iran: terrorism,” Sen. chuck Grassley of Iowa posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Last time it was $1.7B traded for hostages next time it will probably be $10B the price keeps going up & up.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas asserted that the deal was part of a broader “secret nuclear deal.”
“President Biden has established a secret nuclear deal with the Iranian regime that is being kept from Congress and the American people,” Cruz posted on X Monday. “Today’s news confirms there has already been a side deal including a $6 billion ransom and the release of Iranian operatives.”
“I honestly don’t think it is possible for a sitting president to humiliate us or cower to our enemies more than Biden,” said Diane Canada, author of “Lady Up & Don’t Quit” and founder of the Lady Up America movement.
“You don’t negotiate with evil and you certainly don’t financially reward it,” Canada said. “They are getting their people back, plus $6 billion in cash in exchange for our people. Believe me, I’m grateful our people are coming home, but this is not a ‘deal’. Not by a long shot.”
The detained Americans are Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, Emad Shargi, and two others who have not been identified. Namazi, Tahbaz, and Shargi, who have been detained for years, were released to house arrest in August, along with a fourth detainee. The fifth was already on house arrest, per reports.
TMX contributed to this article.
