Republicans on Capitol Hill have criticized the Biden administration's prisoner swap with Iran that resulted in the return of every American legally considered wrongfully detained from Tehran.
On Monday, five Americans who had been imprisoned in Iran left the country and will return to the United States in the coming days. Two relatives of the five who had been barred from leaving the country are leaving with them. In exchange, President Joe Biden granted clemency to five Iranians charged with crimes in the U.S., two of whom had been convicted and sentenced, and the U.S. gave Iran additional access to roughly $6 billion of their own money that had been frozen overseas.
Biden administration officials have downplayed the possibility of Tehran using the money for nefarious purposes, which will still be under restrictions and only available for a limited number of humanitarian transactions. The funds represent money South Korea owed Iran, but hadn't paid, for oil purchased before the U.S. imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019, and that money will be transferred to Qatar.
President Joe Biden hailed the return of the seven civilians but did not address the release of the $6 billion. He also called for Tehran to"give a full account of what happened to Bob Levinson, a former U.S. federal agent who disappeared in 2007 and is presumed to have died in the custody of the Iranian government.
"Even though the Administration claims these funds are limited to humanitarian transactions, we all know that transactions are difficult to monitor and that money is fungible. There is no question this deal will free up funds for Iran’s malign activities," he added."Iran has not changed its ways, and very importantly, has not provided a full account of the fate of U.S. hostage Robert Levinson, who is presumed to have died in Iranian custody. U.S.
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