{"id":2105515,"date":"2023-11-22T05:08:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T10:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-lawmaker-wants-biden-admin-to-explain-why-it-granted-iran-10-billion-in-frozen-funds\/"},"modified":"2023-11-22T05:12:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T10:12:41","slug":"gop-lawmaker-wants-biden-admin-to-explain-why-it-granted-iran-10-billion-in-frozen-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-lawmaker-wants-biden-admin-to-explain-why-it-granted-iran-10-billion-in-frozen-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Lawmaker Wants Biden Admin To Explain Why It Granted Iran $10 Billion in Frozen Funds"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-lawmaker-wants-biden-admin-to-explain-why-it-granted-iran-10-billion-in-frozen-funds%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2105515&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Cash will enable Tehran to &#8216;support \u2063more violence against \u2064Israel, the\u2063 U.S., and our allies,&#8217; Steil says<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Rep. Bryan Steil, R., Wis. (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>A Republican lawmaker\u2063 is\u200c seeking information on the Biden administration&#8217;s recent \u2063decision \u200cto grant Iran\u200d access to $10 billion\u200b in previously frozen\u200d funds, warning the cash will enable Tehran to\u200b &#8220;support more violence against Israel, the U.S., and our \u2063allies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Bryan Steil (R., Wis.) is \u200dpressing the White House to justify its <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/biden-unlocks-fresh-payments-to-iran-totaling-billions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reauthorization last week<\/a> of a sanctions waiver that allows Iran to access upwards of $10 billion in assets held \u2064outside the country, according to a copy of the lawmaker\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/11.22.2023-Biden-10B-Sanctions-Waiver-to-Iran_BGS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">letter<\/a> obtained by the <em>Washington Free \u200dBeacon<\/em>.\u200c Under the authorization, Iraq can pay Iran for multibillion-dollar \u2063electricity payments and move the money to third-party countries, which will allow the\u2062 cash to \u200dbe converted into euros, making it easier for Tehran\u2063 to spend the money on humanitarian \u200bgoods.<\/p>\n<p>Critics of the sanctions waiver, \u200dincluding Steil, are concerned that by \u200cfreeing up this cash for humanitarian purchases, such \u2064as food and medicine, the Biden administration has \u2064made it\u200d easier for Tehran \u200dto divert other funds into its global \u200cterrorism enterprise, which has significantly increased its attacks on Israel and U.S. \u200cpositions\u200c in the Middle\u2063 East since the Iranian-armed terror group Hamas launched its Oct. 7 \u2064war \u2064on the Jewish state.<\/p>\n<p>There are also increasing \u2062concerns\u200d among\u2062 Republican lawmakers and analysts that the Biden administration\u200b waived sanctions without safeguarding the \u200dcash from Iran\u2019s\u200b expenditures on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kushner-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize\/\" title=\"Kushner Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize\">terror groups<\/a> like Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Steil\u2019s letter asks the Biden \u2062administration to explain why the $10 billion in assets are being moved into \u2064third-party \u2063countries like \u2063Oman, France, and Italy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The new\u2064 waiver permits the conversion of\u2064 the frozen funds into euros,&#8221; Steil writes.\u200b &#8220;This deviates\u200b materially from standard practice \u200bbefore 2023,&#8221; when former president Donald Trump was in office and granted a more narrowly tailored \u200bversion of the sanctions waiver that \u2064ensured Iraq\u2019s payments to Iran\u200b remained frozen inside the country in \u2064an escrow account. &#8220;I am gravely concerned that this \u2064expanded access will support\u200c more violence against Israel, \u200cthe U.S., \u2062and our allies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The timing of this waiver is\u2064 exceptionally alarming,&#8221; Steil notes. &#8220;Iran has financed Hamas and\u200d other regional proxies, and reports indicate Iran\u2019s continued investment in nuclear, missile, and drone programs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The State \u2062Department,\u2062 in comments to the <em>Free Beacon<\/em> last week,\u2062 said the\u200d waiver is necessary to ensure Iraq\u2019s energy needs are met, and that the payments to Iran will only be spent\u2063 on humanitarian goods.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is\u200c in the U.S. interest that \u2063this money \u200dleave Iraq and be\u2062 spent \u200bdown from Iran&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-unlocks-fresh-funds-to-iran-totaling-billions\/\" title=\"Biden Unlocks Fresh Funds to Iran Totaling Billions\">accounts held overseas<\/a>,&#8221; a\u200c State Department official said\u2063 at the time.<\/p>\n<p>But\u200c Steil and other critics \u2063of the decision see the Biden administration opening up financial\u200c streams for\u2064 Tehran at a time when\u200d it is fomenting chaos across the Middle East. The United States has not substantially altered its \u2064softline approach towards Tehran since\u2064 Hamas slaughtered \u200dmore than\u200d 1,200 Israelis in one \u2064of \u200cthe most lethal attacks on\u2062 Israel\u200d in recent memory.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;While I\u200d understand that Iraq has long had issues with its \u200delectricity supply,\u200b I still find your administration\u2019s stated \u200bjustification \u200dfor this $10 \u2063billion waiver to be \u2063insufficient,&#8221; Steil wrote. &#8220;We have seen Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria escalate hostilities in recent \u200bweeks with over 61 attacks on U.S. troops in the region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Steil is pressing the White House \u2064to explain what \u2063safeguards are in place &#8220;to ensure these \u200dfunds will be used solely\u2062 for humanitarian purchases.&#8221; He also wants to know how the \u200dUnited States will &#8220;ensure that the fungibility of funds\u2064 provided under this waiver will not enable Iran to redirect\u2063 its\u2063 existing resources towards \u200dterrorism or military activities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The lawmaker is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nfls-commanders-raise-questions-about-financial-ties-between-liberal-activists-and-oversight-committee-democrats\/\" title=\"NFL\u2019s Commanders Raise Questions About Financial Ties Between Liberal Activists and Oversight Committee Democrats\">raising additional questions<\/a> about the administration\u2019s legal justification for issuing the \u200bwaiver. \u200dIn its\u200b notice to Congress, the Biden administration said the Iranian funds should move to Oman, \u2062France, and Italy, claiming\u200c these countries need \u2063a pass from U.S. sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil. However, it remains unclear why these countries in particular were selected.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Because the mandated report to Congress did not \u200baddress this issue,&#8221; Steil wrote,\u200d &#8220;please \u2064explain\u2063 what \u2018exceptional circumstances\u2019 France, Italy, and Oman\u2062 were facing that did not allow them to reduce\u200d purchasing petroleum from Iran.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does \u2063the Biden administration plan to \u2062address the concerns raised by lawmakers regarding the potential increase in violence against \u200dIsrael, the \u200dU.S.,\u200c and their allies as a result of granting Iran access to the frozen funds<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u2064Used for \u2063humanitarian\u2063 purposes. The department also noted that the\u2063 funds \u200bwould be\u200c subject to strict oversight and monitoring to prevent\u200c any misuse.<\/p>\n<p>However, Steil is not convinced and \u2063has \u2063raised \u200cseveral important\u200b concerns. He\u200c questions \u2063the decision to\u200b allow the\u2062 funds to\u200c be\u200b converted into euros and moved to third-party countries like Oman, \u2064France, and \u200cItaly. This raises suspicions about the transparency and accountability\u200c of the \u2063process. Steil is worried that this move will make it easier for Iran to divert funds to support its global\u200b terrorism enterprise.<\/p>\n<p>The concerns\u200c raised \u2064by Steil are valid given Iran&#8217;s history of \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressional-gop-introduces-largest-package-of-iran-sanctions-in-history\/\" title=\"Congressional GOP Introduces Largest Package of Iran Sanctions in History\">supporting terrorist groups<\/a> like Hamas and Hezbollah. He points out that\u200d Iran \u200dhas\u2064 recently increased\u2064 its attacks on\u2062 Israel and \u2062U.S. positions in the Middle\u2064 East, especially since the start of the Hamas war on Israel. Allowing Iran access to\u2062 a\u200d significant amount of funds,\u2062 without\u200d proper safeguards, is a risky move that could further destabilize the region and harm U.S. interests.<\/p>\n<p>Steil also \u200bhighlights the timing\u200d of the \u200cwaiver, which is exceptionally alarming. Reports indicate that Iran is continuing its investment\u200c in nuclear, \u2064missile, and drone programs. \u200bGiven the ongoing concerns about Iran&#8217;s nuclear ambitions and its destabilizing activities in\u200d the region, providing\u2062 Iran with \u200badditional funds raises serious questions about the Biden administration&#8217;s approach to\u2063 dealing\u200b with Iran.<\/p>\n<p>It is essential \u200bthat the Biden administration addresses these concerns and provides a clear justification for its \u2064decision to grant Iran access \u200dto the frozen funds. Steil&#8217;s letter to the White House\u2062 seeks clarification on why the funds are being moved to third-party\u2063 countries\u200b and whether \u2062sufficient measures are \u200cin place\u200b to ensure that the funds will be used strictly\u2064 for humanitarian purposes. The administration should also address the concerns about the\u2063 potential for increased violence\u2064 against Israel,\u200d the U.S., \u2062and \u2062their allies as a result of this decision.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the decision \u200bto grant Iran access to $10 billion\u2064 in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-lawmaker-wants-biden-admin-to-explain-why-it-granted-iran-10-billion-in-frozen-funds\/\" title=\"GOP Lawmaker Wants Biden Admin To Explain Why It Granted Iran  Billion in Frozen Funds\">previously\u200c frozen funds raises valid concerns<\/a> about the\u2062 potential for the funds to be used to support violence \u2062against\u2062 Israel, the \u2063U.S., and their allies. \u200dThe Biden administration\u2064 must \u2064provide a clear and comprehensive\u2064 explanation\u200b for its decision and address the\u2062 concerns\u2063 raised by lawmakers like Steil. \u200bIt\u2064 is\u200d crucial to prioritize the security and stability\u2064 of the region and\u2064 ensure that\u200c the funds \u2062are used for their intended humanitarian purposes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cash will enable Tehran to &#8216;support more violence against Israel, the U.S., and our allies,&#8217; Steil says Rep. Bryan Steil, R., Wis. (Getty Images) A Republican lawmaker is seeking information on the Biden administration&#8217;s recent decision to grant Iran access to $10 billion in previously frozen funds, warning\u00a0the cash will enable Tehran to &#8220;support more<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2105516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2105515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2105515"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105515\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2105516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2105515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2105515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2105515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}