courtesy: foreign policy
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The Biden administration has reacted to the claims that a prisoner swap with Iran last month resulted in attack on Israel from Gaza strip.
Hamas militant group on Saturday attacked Israel and the Republican were quick to connect, without evidence, the assault to the $6 billion in funds that were unfrozen as part of the prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran in September.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller clear the air around such reports. “The deal to bring U.S. citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel. Not a penny has been spent,” he said.
Five Americans were wrongfully arrested in Iran, and in order to free them as a part of high stakes deal between Iran and the Biden administration included the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian oil assets that were held in a restricted account in South Korea.
The Asian country owed the money to Middle Eastern country for oil it had purchased before the Trump administration imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.
Treasury’s top sanctions official Brian Nelson said Saturday that the funds are still in restricted accounts in Qatar.