The U.S. has reached a “quiet understanding” with Qatar not to release any of the $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues that was unfrozen as part of the prisoner swap last month, a source with knowledge of the arrangement told CBS News.
During a confidential meeting on Thursday morning, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo conveyed this understanding to House Democrats.
As part of the high-stakes deal to release five Americans who had been wrongfully detained in Iran, the Biden administration included the transfer of the Iranian oil assets from a restricted account in South Korea to Qatar.
Many Republicans have criticized the Biden administration for releasing the funds, claiming it freed up resources for Iran to support the attack. Administration officials have said since the attacks began that Iran has long supported Hamas with material, financial and logistical support, but to date, no evidence has been found to link the surprise attacks to Tehran.
The Biden administration has made it clear that the funds will not be directly given to Iran. Instead, they can only be utilized for Iran’s procurement of essential humanitarian goods like food and medicine. However, Iran’s president has expressed his intention to determine the allocation of the previously frozen funds.
Adeyemo, in a closed-door meeting with House Democrats, reportedly stated that the $6 billion is not going to be used or spent anytime soon, according to Punchbowl News.
The timing of the understanding that was reached was not disclosed by the source, so it is not known whether this transpired after Hamas attacked Israel over the weekend.
Prior to grasping this comprehension, the process for Iran to obtain the funds was subjected to intense scrutiny and presented a complex nature. It seemed highly improbable for Iran to swiftly access the funds, even for legitimate humanitarian purposes.
During a briefing with journalists on Thursday afternoon, John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, emphasized that the government would not provide any funds to the regime.
Caitlin Yilek and Olivia Gazis contributed to this report.
- In:
- Iran
- Israel
