On the anniversary of 9-11, the Biden Administration announced another prisoner swap with Iran, a country that wishes death to America.
The offer is five Iranians for five Americans, and Biden has sweetened the pot by unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian funds for the country, with which United States severed diplomatic relations in 1980. Iran is considered a terrorist state.
Sen. Dan Sullivan quickly issued a comment about the deal.
“On this somber, sacred day, it’s outrageous and insulting that Americans received the news that the Biden Administration has cut a sweetheart $6 billion-deal with Iran,” Sullivan said. “While I welcome any American hostage being freed and reunited with their family, this deal with Iran only serves to incentivize the terrorist regime to take MORE Americans hostage. I also seriously doubt the $6 billion dollars unfrozen will not end up fueling Iran’s efforts to destabilize the Middle East, oppress its own people, and target Americans and our allies. This deal rewards the malign behavior of the largest state sponsor of terrorism, a regime with the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands.”
The $6 billion comes as a waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar, free from U.S. sanctions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the deal last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place.
The Department of State designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1984. Iran continued its support for terrorist-related activity in 2021, including support for Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various terrorist and militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and elsewhere throughout the Middle East, according to the State Department.
Congress had not been informed about the details that involved the $6 billion until Monday.
