U.S. Reportedly to Stop Iran From Accessing $6 Billion Fund Amid Israel-Hamas War

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told House Democrats on Thursday that the U.S. and Qatar struck an agreement to effectively freeze the $6 billion humanitarian fund Iran received in a recent hostage exchange with the Biden administration, reported the Washington Post.

The Post cited two sources with knowledge of Adeyemo’s comments and added, “President Biden has faced mounting bipartisan pressure on Capitol Hill to prevent the funds from being used by Iran, amid scrutiny of Tehran’s links to Hamas.”

Hamas has long been connected to Iran and on Saturday carried out a devastating attack on the south of Israel that has left some 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians.

Adeyemo reportedly told lawmakers that the money in the fund “isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.” The Post cited “three House Democratic aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations. That comment was first reported by Punchbowl.”

Multiple Democratic senators including Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have joined Republicans and called on Biden to freeze the money. The Post noted that Iran’s Mission to the UN released a statement in response, saying, “The senators in question and the U.S. government are all acutely aware that they can NOT renege on the agreement. The money rightfully belongs to the people of Iran, earmarked for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the acquisition of all essential and non-sanctioned requisites for the Iranians.”

This is a developing story and has been updated.