THE US and Qatar agreed to block Iran from accessing $6 billion in funds that the Biden administration unfroze last month as part of a high-stakes prisoner exchange between Washington and Tehran.
The Biden administration reportedly agreed to block Iran from accessing billions of dollars in oil revenues previously blocked under US sanctions, amid pressure from both Republican and Democrat lawmakers, as reported by Western sources.
In a meeting with House Democrats on Thursday, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told the lawmakers that the United States reached a “quiet understanding” with Qatar to implement at least a temporary restriction on the use of the funds.
On the same day, Texas Congressman August Pflugerf filed a bill that seeks to block Iran from accessing the money— a move supported by more than a hundred Republicans.
To note, the Biden Administration unfroze the $6 billion worth of Iranian oil funds on September 11, 2023, as part of a high-stakes prisoner swap deal.
The deal also involved the release of five American and Iranian prisoners from both sides.
The release of the funds earned criticisms from Republican contenders who linked the funds to the surprise attack launched by Hamas on Saturday.
Former US President Donald Trump accused the Biden administration of betraying Israel while Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said that the 6 billion dollars were not just an invitation, but the US actually paid for the aggression to happen.
In response, Washington said that the sum was never a part of US taxpayer money, and claimed that the $6 billion fund was still untouched by Iran.
The US previously said Iran can only use the funds for humanitarian purposes and warned it has the authority to refreeze it but Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that the government has the authority to decide how it will use the money.
Meanwhile, a House aide revealed that Congress has not yet received an official notification from the State Department or the Biden Administration on refreezing the funding.
It is not yet clear as to how long the U.S. and Qatar agreed to block Iran’s access to the money.
