(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – On the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Biden administration cut a deal with Iran, a recognized sponsor of terrorism, that unfreezes $6 billion for Iranian state coffers.
The prisoner swap deal in question was approved by Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week and was presented to Congress on Monday, The New York Post reports.
The agreement provides for freeing five US citizens from Iranian captivity in exchange for releasing five unidentified Iranians in US custody and unfreezing $6 billion of Iranian funds.
The money in question was frozen by US ally South Korea and was generated through Iranian oil sales to the East Asian nations. The funds were blocked after US-Iranian relations soured, The Hill informs.
Three of the US citizens to be swapped in the deal have been identified by human rights attorney Jared Genser: Siaman Namazi; Emad Sharghi, a businessman; and Morad Tahbaz, an environmentalist. The names of the remaining two are expected to be made public upon their release.
While Namazi was arrested in Iran in 2015, Sharghi and Tahbaz, who also holds UK citizenship, were jailed in 2018. All of them were sentenced to 10 years in prison “on trumped-up espionage charges.”
According to US officials, the unfrozen Iranian money would only be used to purchase humanitarian items such as food and medicines.
However, the Biden administration’s deal with Iran has infuriated congressional Republicans who say it would free up $6 billion in the Iranian budget for weapons and aggression.
“Biden fails to pay his respects on the anniversary of 9/11 to any of the sites on this historically tragic day, but makes a deal to swap five Iranian prisoners and unfreeze $6 billion to Iran’s regime,” declared Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL).
“I vehemently oppose this decision that will ultimately fund terrorist activities against Americans and our allies … This is the most corrupt and compromised administration in America’s history and he’s out to destroy America,” Mills added.
“By allowing the regime to increase their profits by $6 billion, President Biden is recklessly putting at risk dozens of Americans as he greenlights Iran’s violent activities and encourages more hostage ‘diplomacy,’” commented Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA).
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