Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claims he has reached a “good understanding” with Qatar for entry to the $6 billion windfall of money paid by President Joe Biden after a prisoner change take care of america in September 2023.
Biden administration officers proceed to insist Iran may have solely restricted entry to the funds.
“In Qatar, now we have $6 billion in belongings. The difficulty was mentioned throughout a gathering between the governors of the 2 nations’ central banks, in addition to the assembly with the Qatari Emir. We reached a great understanding on this regard,” Pezeshkian stated after returning to Tehran on Thursday from a two-day journey to Qatar.
The Iranian president was referring to $6 billion in Iranian belongings that had been frozen in South Korean banks till September 2023, when the Biden administration issued a sanctions waiver permitting the funds to be transferred to Qatar’s central financial institution.
The Biden administration was strongly criticized for paying such a big ransom for simply 5 prisoners launched by the Iranians, who additionally obtained 5 prisoners of their very own along with Biden’s money windfall.
The administration insisted the fee was not likely a “ransom” and claimed Tehran would solely be capable of use the cash for buying “humanitarian items.”
Critics responded that cash is fungible, so even when the Biden Administration saved its promise to restrict Iranian entry to the funds, giving Iran $6 billion to spend on meals and medication would release $6 billion for extra malign investments, akin to arms and monetary help for Tehran’s community of terrorist proxies.
Criticism over the $6 billion payout grew so intense that Tehran felt it essential to insist in October 2023 that Biden’s ransom couldn’t be taken again and the U.S. wouldn’t lengthy be capable of forestall Iran from accessing the funds for any function it needs.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed across the similar time that Iran has someway at all times had entry to the “frozen” funds for humanitarian functions, however was merely unable to make use of them resulting from “technical causes” cleared up by the Biden hostage deal.
CBS Information in October 2023 reported {that a} “quiet understanding” between the Biden administration and Qatar was reached to forestall Iran from accessing its $6 billion windfall within the speedy aftermath of the Hamas atrocities in opposition to Israeli civilians on October 7.
Pezeshkian stated one other “good understanding” was reached between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) oil states about “resolving any issues between us, or the disputes that existed” pertaining to the warfare in Gaza and Lebanon. He reportedly met with Saudi International Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and with a delegation from the Hamas terrorist group, throughout his journey to Qatar.
Pezeshkian stated Iran and different Center Jap powers would quickly “attain a degree the place now we have a typical language and imaginative and prescient with neighboring nations and might lead the world with one voice” to “make Israel cease its crimes and massacres.”