Blinken denies ransom payment for US hostages, assures use of Iran’s funds.
Iran Will Not Receive Sanctions Relief in Exchange for American Hostages
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made it clear that Iran will not receive any sanctions relief as part of a deal to secure the release of five American hostages. Despite Tehran’s impending recovery of $6 billion, Blinken emphasized that Iran’s own funds would be used in any efforts to bring Americans home from Iran. He stated, “We will continue to enforce all of our sanctions.”
Setback for Biden and Fed as Inflation Ticks Up to 3.2% in July
In a setback for President Biden and the Federal Reserve, inflation has ticked up to 3.2% in July. This news comes as Iranian officials announced the transfer of five U.S. citizens into house arrest, marking a so-called humanitarian cooperation agreement. Blinken hailed this gesture as “the beginning of the end of their nightmare,” while Iranian officials celebrated the prospect of a multibillion windfall they have been seeking through lengthy negotiations over the renewal of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“The process of releasing billions of dollars of Iranian assets, illegally seized by the U.S. for several years, has commenced,” wrote Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani on social media. “Tehran has received the guarantee of Washington’s commitments. The release of several Iranians who were illegally detained in America is in this context.”
However, this arrangement has faced sharp criticism from Republicans and other critics of Iran’s hostage-taking practices. Xiyue Wang, an American citizen and Princeton University graduate student who was seized in 2016 during a research trip to Iran, stated, “I am an example that the U.S. government can release American hostages WITHOUT paying ransom. Biden’s terrible deal is putting more Americans in danger.”
Blinken’s team has maintained their focus on the plight of the five current hostages in their public statements on the deal. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller assured, “We are in touch with the families of U.S. citizens involved, and we continue to monitor these individuals’ health and welfare closely. While we welcome the news of these individuals’ release from prison to house arrest, they should never have been imprisoned in the first place. We continue to work diligently to bring these individuals home to their loved ones. They must be allowed to depart Iran and reunite with their loved ones as soon as possible.”
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