Pres. Joe Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff speak to a roundtable of Jewish community leaders at the White House.Iran President Ebrahim Raisi addresses the 15th BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. being used to support and carry out terrorist acts and some lawmakers are pushing the Biden administration to refreeze the money.
In the fallout, the White House has been pressured to reevaluate having the funds accessible to minimize the risk of the conflict spreading. What to know about the funds:The $5.9 billion in cash is money South Korea owed Iran but had not yet paid due to U.S. sanctions that were instated in 2019 during the Trump administration. A total ban on Iran’s oil exports and sanctions on its banking sector had blocked the oil money in a bank in Seoul.
The money is being overseen by Qatar and held in restricted accounts that the U.S. said will not be given directly to Iran. Prior to the deal being announced, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there would be more legal restrictions on the funds than there was in South Korea and the U.S. could maintain oversight.State Department and other administration officials said none of the money has moved from the accounts and remains in Doha.
“As I stand here today, while Iran plays this broad role — sustained, deep, and dark role — in providing all of this support and capabilities to Hamas, in terms of this particular gruesome attack on Oct. 7, we don't currently have that information,” Sullivan said. “We will continue to look for it.” “Your administration claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use, but money is fungible, and there is significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against Israel,” Republicans wrote in a letter to the president.
Manchin, who had been critical of the agreement since it was announced, also said the assets should be frozen again.
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