Biden administration is accused of allowing billions of dollars to flow to Iran under controversial sanctions waivers — Iranian-backed rebels are deadly against U.S. forces This is despite the fact that the Islamic State has just launched a direct attack on Israel, a staunch ally of the United States.
The White House last month extended a waiver to allow Iraq to pay the Iranian government for electricity services, freeing up to an additional $10 billion in frozen funds, according to critics and reports. Became. washington free beacon.
The Biden administration had already renewed the waiver program, created in 2018, in November.
The extended waiver was then scheduled to expire again in March, but after a drone strike by Iranian-backed militants killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more in Jordan in late January. Just six weeks later, the administration reauthorized it again.
Iran fired 300 drones and missiles at Israel over the weekend in retaliation for the Damascus airstrike earlier this month.
The State Department has long argued that such exemptions are “necessary” in order for Iraq to “cut off energy imports from Iran” and develop domestic oil and gas production. The White House insists that the unfrozen funds can only be used for humanitarian purposes.
“No Iranian funds held in restricted accounts abroad have been sent to Iran, and we have not released any cash to Iran. Any notion to the contrary is false and misleading. ” the State Department told the Post in a statement Sunday.
“The funds are held in restricted accounts overseas under strict supervision and in close coordination with the Treasury Department and the State Department.”
Asked whether plans were underway to increase pressure on Iran through additional sanctions after Saturday’s missile attack, the State Department said it was “in ongoing discussions with allies and partners, including the G7, on ways to increase pressure on Iran.” , but cannot preview or explain in detail the measures being considered.
In a statement to the Post, the White House stood by President Biden’s record on Iran, citing the US military’s efforts to thwart last night’s attack and imposing “more than 500 sanctions against Iran” since taking office. He said that
“This waiver allows Iraq to import energy from Iran in its pursuit of energy independence, continuing a practice started by the Trump administration and renewed 21 times since 2018,” the White House said. Stated.
“The money going to Iran with this electricity waiver is exactly zero. U.S. sanctions are still in place, and Iranian funds, whether from oil sales under the previous regime or electricity sales to Iraq, are now in effect. We continue to prevent it from flowing to Iran.”
“Under these exemptions, no money is permitted to enter Iran,” a State Department official insisted to the Beacon. “These funds are held in third countries and can only be used for purchase transactions of food, agricultural products, medicines, medical equipment, and other non-sanctioned transactions.
“The money goes directly to trusted vendors or financial institutions located in another country. That money never touches Iran.”
But some Republicans argue that a lack of transparency and accountability resulted in the funds being used to pay for state-sanctioned terrorist activities in rogue states.
Earlier this month, a group of 13 Republican senators led by Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott, R.S.C. I wrote a sharp letter He called on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to end these sanctions waivers.
The senators said it is “immeasurable” that the Biden administration believes it is in the U.S. national security interest to allow this funding to be provided to Iran.
“If we really want to restore deterrence in the region, these funds should be kept far away from Iran, not closer to it,” the scathing letter says.
On April 9, the committee grilled Deputy Finance Minister Adewale Adeyemo over the “fungible nature” of the fund, which is ostensibly dedicated solely to humanitarian purposes.
Even Adeyemo said the money was likely used to fund “violent activities” before a penny reached Iranians in need.
“What we have seen time and time again from the Iranian regime is that they [Iran] Unable to feed the people, they established the Revolutionary Guards. [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] beginning. The money they have will be spent on their violent activities before dealing with the people,” Adeyemo testified.
“That’s part of the reason why so little humanitarian money is used for humanitarian purposes, because they don’t care about getting drugs and food for their own people.”
Following the Islamic Republic’s missile and drone attack on Israel on Saturday, some of the letter signatories on Sunday accused the Biden administration of emboldening the administration through sanctions policy.
“President Biden’s empty and vague appeasement has not only emboldened Iran, it has enriched the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told the Post in a statement. .
“‘Not’ is not foreign policy. It is certainly not deterrence,” the senator said, referring to the one-word warning Biden issued before Iran launched an attack.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told the Post that the Biden administration is overseeing large amounts of cash flowing into Iranian coffers.
“Four years ago, Iran was weakened and the Ayatollahs were on the verge of bankruptcy. Thanks to Joe Biden’s sanctions relief and weak policy towards Iran, they had enough to launch 300 drones and missiles at Israel. “This is an unprecedented attack on an ally that has the funds,” Cotton said.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on “Fox News Sunday” dodged a question about whether the administration is being tough enough on Iran.
“Look at the sanctions we have put in place against Iran, look at the resources we have put into the region. It’s hard to say,” Kirby said.
He noted that former President Trump’s Iranian regime is now “dramatically closer to potential nuclear weapons capability than it was before Trump was elected.”
On Saturday night, Iran launched 170 drones, 120 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles in a major air raid against the Jewish state.
With the help of Israel’s allies and their advanced missile defense system, David’s Sling, approximately 99% of the ordinances were intercepted and never landed in Israel.
