Biden is just giving away money at this point.
The Biden administration’s preliminary strategy to release $6 billion in frozen funds to Iran in return for the liberation of five American detainees has stirred up further division in Washington over foreign policy matters.
According to The Hill, detractors argue that the deal portrays the U.S. as feeble and raise concerns that the money might inadvertently support the Iranian military, which has seized American vessels and backed militant factions in Syria responsible for attacks on U.S. troops.
Supporters view the arrangement as a significant trade that would secure the freedom of imprisoned American citizens. They posit that it could potentially pave the way for more substantial future developments with Tehran, including a potential revival of the Iran nuclear accord.
According to Alex Vatanka, who heads the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, the deal’s mechanisms would make it challenging for Iran to employ the funds for anything other than humanitarian purposes. He emphasizes that the deal plays a crucial role in mitigating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Vatanka states, “This was essentially something they had no choice but to do. If they hadn’t taken this step and we continued on this escalating path, things could have spiraled out of control.”
Furthermore, Vatanka highlights that the $6 billion is just a fraction of the frozen funds designated for Iran globally. He urges a comprehensive examination of the situation and maintains that this isn’t necessarily a loss for the United States. He believes that strategically, the impact on Iran might not be as significant as it appears, suggesting their desperation.
In 2018, Washington froze $6 billion resulting from Iran’s oil sales to South Korea following the withdrawal of former President Trump from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The JCPOA had eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for its commitment to refrain from developing nuclear weaponry.
The Biden administration has been making substantial diplomatic overtures toward Iran, including endeavors to resurrect the JCPOA. Meanwhile, South Korea has been eager to release the frozen funds to continue its oil purchases from Iran, while the U.S. is determined to secure the release of wrongly detained American hostages abroad.
The five American hostages slated for release as part of the deal are incarcerated on espionage-related charges that the U.S. deems dubious. Three of them have been publicly identified: Siamak Namazi, a businessman arrested in 2015; Emad Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced in 2020; and Morad Tahbaz, a British national apprehended in 2018.
State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel assures that the funds, to be held in a Qatari bank account for monitoring, will exclusively be utilized by Iran for humanitarian transactions like food and medicine. Patel highlights that Iran’s accounts in other nations have been used for purchasing humanitarian goods and conducting legitimate transactions.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby underscores that the deal is not yet finalized. He assures that a stringent due diligence process will be implemented, with standards set in collaboration with the U.S. Treasury Department.
Despite Republican critics supporting the return of unjustly detained Americans, they criticize the Biden administration for linking their release to the unfreezing of billions of dollars, contending that this approach only bolsters Iranian aggression.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, argues that it’s naive to assume Iran won’t have control over the released funds. He acknowledges the desire to repatriate the American detainees but emphasizes the need for cautious awareness. The $6 billion, McCaul asserts, will inadvertently aid Iran’s proxy warfare, acts of terrorism, and nuclear ambitions.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a prominent GOP presidential contender, condemns the U.S. for yielding to Iran’s blackmail and extortion. He asserts that rewarding Iran for hostage-taking would only encourage more such incidents. DeSantis advocates for a firm stance against Iran, applying maximum pressure to counter their adverse influence.