President Joe Biden is reportedly considering approving a sanctions waiver this week that would give the Islamic Republic of Iran $10 billion in funds that are frozen in Iraq.
The news comes after Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic terrorist group that is backed by Iran, murdered 1,200 Israelis, wounded 5,300+, and kidnapped more than 240 people in an unprecedented attack last month. Iran provided weapons that were used in the attacks on innocent Israeli citizens and they trained hundreds of Hamas terrorists in the weeks leading up to the attacks.
The waiver would allow Iraq to transfer frozen electricity payments into Iranian bank accounts in other countries in the region, according to a report from The Washington Free Beacon.
Biden agreed to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets for a prisoner swap prior to the October 7 terrorist attacks, but following overwhelming pressure from Congress and the American people, agreed with Qatar to re-freeze the money.
Richard Goldberg, a former Trump administration official who is now a senior adviser at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said Tuesday evening that the State Department has sent the waiver to Congress “just before 5 p.m. ET to prevent review by key committees until the morning.”
“Biden administration may be attempting to classify the waiver,” Goldberg added. “Sent to House and Senate Security Offices to prevent public oversight tonight. The law requires an unclassified waiver but permits a classified annex. White House trying to hide this $10 billion to Iran.”
MORE: Biden administration may be attempting to classify the waiver. Sent to House and Senate Security Offices to prevent public oversight tonight. The law requires an unclassified waiver but permits a classified annex. White House trying to hide this $10 billion to Iran. https://t.co/mivKs4OGmd
— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) November 14, 2023
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in an NBC News interview in September after the Biden administration initially agreed to unfreeze the $6 billion for Iran that the country would spend the money however it wanted to, which contradicted the administration’s claims that Iran could only access the money for humanitarian purposes.
“This money belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and naturally, we will decide, the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide to spend it wherever we need it,” Raisi said. “How to spend our money of course, it is under the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
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NBC News’ Lester Holt then asked, “So if I hear you clearly that it will be used for more than humanitarian purposes in your view?”
“Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people need, so this money will be budgeted for those needs,” Raisi said. “And the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says they'll use the $6 billion from the Biden Admin "wherever we need it … as determined by the Iranian government" pic.twitter.com/KMLUfk2xhl
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 12, 2023