Iranian President Refutes Biden’s Claim About Unfrozen Funds

A prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran, finalized on Sept. 11, has faced increased scrutiny in the past two days.

Following a blanket waiver from the Biden administration, international banks will release $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil profits. This was done for five American hostages who will be released in exchange for five Iranian nationals in U.S. custody.

Despite supposed restrictions on the funds, critics believe unfreezing funds incentivizes future hostage-taken and could fund Tehran’s proxy wars.

Although the White House dismissed that possibility, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told NBC’s Lester Holt that Iran will spend the money however it wants.

Per Mediaite:

Raisi’s comments came one day after the administration announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had signed a waiver last week so $6 billion could be released back to the Iranian government as part of a deal under which five American hostages are to be exchanged for five Iranian nationals presently being held in the U.S.

In a statement, National Security Council Spokeswoman Adrienne Watson explained that “On September 8, Secretary Blinken undertook a procedural step in an ongoing process to ensure Iranian funds can move from one restricted account to another and remain restricted to humanitarian trade.”

“As we have said from the outset, what is being pursued here is an arrangement wherein we secure the release of 5 wrongfully held Americans,” she continued.

However, a new clip from Raisi’s conversation with Holt, shows the Iranian president disputing that claim.

What is your expectation of its [the money’s] use. We’re told that it’s for humanitarian purposes — food and medicine,” Holt said, prefacing his question, “Do you believe you have the right to use that money in any way that you see fit?”

Raisi responded defiantly, “This money belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and naturally, we will decide, the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide to spend it wherever we need it. How to spend our money of course, it is under the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Seeking clarity, Holt replied, “So if I hear you clearly that it will be used for more than humanitarian purposes in your view?”

“Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people need, so this money will be budgeted for those needs,” Raisi answered vaguely. “And the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.”

Mediaite further notes:

In the past, the Iranian government has spent billions of dollars supporting terrorists throughout the Middle East and fighting bloody proxy wars from Yemen to Lebanon.

The Biden administration has announced that a Qatari bank will oversee the distribution of the $6 billion solely for humanitarian purposes. However, critics have pointed out that Iran may choose to redirect funds that were initially allocated for humanitarian causes.

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