(DailyVantage.com) – Steve Daines, a United States Senator, wants to redirect the $6 billion meant for Iran to the Israelis instead.
Other members of the United States Senate are also looking at Iran’s assets and are attempting to formulate new bills. Leading this group, GOP Senator Marsha Blackburn said she wants Biden to put restrictions on “Iran’s ability to provide support to Hamas.” Other senators have also expressed interest in locking the money down. For example, Mitch McConnell, John Kennedy, and Tom Cotton have united their legislation to “freeze” the $6 billion.
Senate Banking Committee member Tim Scott announced potential legislation to force the Treasury to find and tell Congress where and how Iran’s current restrictions affect them. Scott also wants the State Department and the Treasury to be impeded in their capacity to ease the sanctions on Iran’s assets.
On Thursday, Daines introduced a bill proposing that until the disputes between Israel, Hamas, and other types of groups have ended, Iran’s benefits past the original $6 billion will not be “unfrozen.” He would also accept Israel receiving total compensation for damages from the Israel-Hamas war. Or he would agree to unfreeze the benefits once Iran has demonstrated serious support with a global fundraiser to help Israel pay for damages undertaken after the Hamas terrorist attack. Daines will agree to release Iran’s assets once one of the three conditions mentioned is completed and proven by the president to Congress.
The $6 billion was initially from Iranian oil sales locked in South Korean banks. On June 6, five American citizens were ransomed and would be returned to the U.S. after being held captive in Iran. This was a result of the United States acceding to release the billions caught in the Korean banks to help with Iran’s presumed humanitarian needs.
After the Israelis were attacked, on October 7, Qatar negotiated with the United States and came to a “quiet agreement” to prevent Iran from using the $6 billion.
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