Five Senate Democrats up for re-election next year are urging President Biden to restore holdings of $6 billion in Iranian assets that were not frozen as part of a prisoner exchange announced last month.
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania have joined many congressional Republicans in demanding reversal.
“I do not support the initial transfer of $6 billion. We should absolutely freeze these Iranian assets while we also consider additional sanctions,” Manchin told The Post in a statement.
“As American intelligence officials continue to investigate terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas, we should review our options to hold Iran accountable for any support they may have provided,” Tester added.
“At the very least, we should immediately freeze $6 billion in Iranian assets and explore other financial tools at our disposal. Moving forward, we need to ensure that our ally Israel can defend itself against these continued deadly attacks on its civilians.”
“Given Hamas’s vicious and horrific terrorist attacks on Israel and Iran’s longstanding support for Hamas, we should freeze these assets,” Rosen said in a statement to The Post.
“Until I have full confidence that Iran did not play a role in this barbaric terrorist attack on the people of Israel, the United States should freeze $6 billion dollars in Iranian assets,” Baldwin said in a statement.
Joe Manchin said he opposes freezing $6 billion from the start.Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock “We have to review our options to hold Iran accountable for any support they may provide,” said Senator Jon Tester.AP “In light of the terrorist attacks the brutal and horrific violence of Hamas on Israel and Iran’s longstanding support for Hamas, we should freeze these assets,” said Senator Jacky Rosen. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Casey took a different tack, accusing Republicans of “deliberately misleading the American people on this serious matter.”
“None of the sanctioned funds have been transferred to Iran,” he said. “These funds should remain frozen until we can determine whether Iran played a role in the attack and what the appropriate US response is.” Attempting to divide the United States at a time like this only strengthens our enemies.”
A Democratic candidate for the Senate, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) also calls are backed up to freeze $6 billion.
“Iran has a long and storied record of evil behavior and supporting terrorism around the world, including Hamas and Hezbollah,” he said.
“As we learn more about Iran’s role in this horrific terrorist attack against Israel, one thing is clear: we must immediately freeze $6 billion in assets and use the tools at our disposal to stop Iran’s illegal behavior. Our ally Israel is at war, and while the conflict continues, we must stand together.”
Another Democratic incumbent facing the possibility of a difficult re-election in 2024, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, stopped short of calling for the assets to be frozen again.
“I’m talking to my colleagues, the administration, the Israeli government, and the Jewish community in Ohio and across the country to assess the next steps, to look at every tool available to support Israel and defeat Hamas,” Brown told Politico when asked.
The Biden administration insists Iran can only use the money for humanitarian purposes, while critics insist that any additional funding frees Tehran to spend more to equip its terrorist proxies in the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
“We haven’t had one dollar of that $6 billion spent. And I’ll leave it at that,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday.
The White House has called Iran an “accomplice” in the deadly terror attack by Hamas on Saturday, but has dismissed reports that Iranian officials helped plan and approve the slaughter that has killed at least 1,200 in Israel.
Iran’s leadership cheered as Hamas rockets rolled into Israel and the terrorist group began slaughtering and kidnapping Israelis.ZUMAPRESS.com
CNN reported Wednesday that US intelligence indicated Iranian government officials were “shocked” by the slaughter, while officials from the Defense and State Departments and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reportedly told senators Tuesday night they had a report that “directly contradicts” Sunday’s Wall Street Journal report on IRGC involvement.
On Wednesday, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) announced he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would introduce legislation preventing Iran from accessing unfrozen assets.
“Iran is the worst state sponsor of terrorism in the world,” Cotton said in a statement. “In addition to funding Hamas’ devastating terrorist attacks against Israel, the regime’s proxies have attacked dozens of American targets in the region in recent years. The Biden administration’s decision to allow Iran access to $6 billion immediately frees up other money for the regime to finance its attacks on Israel. The Biden administration should immediately refreeze those funds.”
President Biden denounced the “pure and pure evil” of the Hamas killings. CNP / Polaris Jake Sullivan sidestepped questions about whether the Biden administration would refreeze $6 billion in response to the Hamas attack. Chris Kleponis / CNP / SplashNews.com
House Republicans also vowed to investigate the $6 billion freeze and the negotiations that led to the exchange of five American prisoners for five Iranian prisoners.
Republican presidential candidate and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley proposed taking $6 billion in Iranian assets and giving them to Israel.
“Look at what the people of Iran, the Iranian regime, have done to threaten Israel all this time,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “They divert money to threaten those they hate.
Nikki Haley described the Hamas attack on Israel as an attack on America as well.ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Former President Donald Trump also made similar claims against the Biden administration.
“CROPPED JOE BIDEN MUST TAKE BACK AND FREEZE 6 BILLION DOLLARS NOW, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday. “HOW CAN SOMEONE BE INCOMPETENT AND STUPID? BIDEN CAUSED THIS WAR, AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!!!”
Biden has reaffirmed his support for Israel, which has hit the Gaza Strip with airstrikes ahead of a possible ground invasion.
At least 22 Americans have been killed in the violence and 17 are missing, with some of that number believed to be held hostage by Hamas, according to the Biden administration.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
