Senator Demands Probe into Biden’s $6B Release to Iran Post-Hamas Attack

Clear Facts:

• Sen. Tim Scott urges investigation into the Biden administration’s release of $6 billion in Iranian assets after Hamas’s Israel attack.
• The fund release was part of a prisoner swap agreement where five Americans were exchanged for five Iranians.
• Republicans assert that the released funds could aid Iran in supporting global terrorism.

Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., prominent member of the Senate Banking Committee, is ringing alarm bells over the Biden administration’s controversial decision to release $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian assets.

This move comes hot on the heels of the aggressive attack on Israel by the Hamas militant group.

In a statement laden with concern, Scott declared, “In the face of evil, we must use every tool, weapon, and economic sanction available to provide for our nation’s security and the security of Israel.”

He emphasized the need for transparency, particularly in light of the close ties the U.S. shares with Israel.

Scott’s words were a clarion call for strength, saying, “We should be signaling strength — not leniency — when it comes to Iran.”

The backdrop to this contention was a prisoner exchange deal, a centerpiece of which was the liberation of $6 billion in Iranian funds, a move the Biden administration approved just last month.

The aftermath of this exchange saw a sum of money, originating from Iranian oil sales and frozen in South Korea, channeled to a Qatari bank.

The decision to release these funds was met with staunch opposition from Republican leaders. Their concerns hinge on the possibility of the $6 billion potentially bolstering Iran’s infamous backing of terrorism.

These reservations have only been magnified following Hamas’s shocking attack on Israeli territory this past Saturday, an onslaught that saw the loss of countless lives.

In a pursuit of clarity and accountability, Scott, a hopeful for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, stated the Senate’s responsibility to investigate the rationale behind the Biden administration’s decision.

He questioned, “how it could expect Iran to not use that money to continue to fuel terrorism.”

He further advocated for the enactment of the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act.

If passed, this legislation would cement the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 and impose restrictions on funding directed to Iran’s energy sector.

Despite the brewing storm of criticism, Secretary of State Antony Blinken staunchly defended the administration’s actions, asserting on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “no U.S. taxpayer dollars were involved.”

Yet, Republicans remain unyielding in their critique. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., alongside 19 Senate Republicans, submitted a plea to President Joe Biden, urging him and the State Department to retract and refreeze the contentious $6 billion.

They highlighted Iran’s reputation as a global sponsor of terrorism and drew attention to reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had collaborated with Hamas on plotting the recent attacks against Israel.

The senators’ letter to the president expressed their collective dismay: “To stand by and allow Iran access to these funds as Hamas infiltrates Israel and murders, rapes, and mutilates countless Israelis is unconscionable.”

They further pressed the issue, stating, “The State Department should immediately rescind the waivers that allowed Iranian funds to be converted and moved to more accessible bank accounts, as well as work with U.S. ally Qatar to immediately freeze the accounts containing these funds.”

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