(DC Pundit) – In a move that’s raising eyebrows across Washington, the Biden-Harris administration decided to throw Iran a bone just days after the November election. They lifted sanctions, giving Tehran access to a staggering $10 billion in funds that were previously frozen.
This information comes from a hush-hush order sent to Congress, which the Washington Free Beacon managed to get its hands on.
On November 8, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the call that it was in Uncle Sam’s best interest to waive those pesky economic sanctions. These sanctions had been keeping Iraq from passing along up to $10 billion to Iran for electricity imports. It’s like giving your neighbor a blank check to pay their power bill, only on a much larger scale.
The Biden-Harris team has been renewing this waiver like clockwork, much to the chagrin of Republican lawmakers. These GOP members have been crying foul, warning that this cash influx could be fueling terrorism and Iran’s ongoing conflict with Israel. In one instance, the administration gave the green light for sanctions relief just a month after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
This latest waiver gives Iran a 120-day breather from sanctions. When that clock runs out, it’ll be up to the incoming Trump administration to decide whether to keep the money tap flowing or turn it off.
It’s worth noting that the first Trump administration also approved this waiver, which ruffled some Republican feathers. However, they kept a tighter leash on the funds. The Biden State Department, on the other hand, loosened the reins last year. They allowed Iran to swap Iraqi dinars for euros and park that cash in Omani banks. It’s like upgrading from a piggy bank to a Swiss account – suddenly, spending that money on the international market becomes a whole lot easier.
When asked about the waiver, State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters, “We remain committed to reducing Iran’s malign influence in the region. Our viewpoint is that a stable, sovereign, and secure Iraq is critical to these efforts.” It’s a bit like saying you’re on a diet while ordering a triple cheeseburger, but who are we to judge?
The Biden State Department insists that Iran can only use these funds for humanitarian needs, like medicine and supplies. But Republican critics aren’t buying it. They argue that money is money, and with more cash in their pockets, Tehran might find it easier to funnel resources to their regional terror proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
When asked for further comment, the State Department chose to keep mum. Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words, and in this case, it’s practically shouting from the rooftops.
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