Concern of the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' Organization Over the Consequences of the Agreement for the Release of Hamas Hostages

Joseph Lieberman, head of the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' group, and Mark Wallace, the group's director, expressed concern following reports of an agreement for the release of several women and children taken hostage by Hamas, fearing that the U.S. may have capitulated to the hostage-taking policies of the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups. They welcomed the release of several hostages from Hamas's captivity, stating that they suffered 'unimaginable terror' at the hands of Hamas terrorists funded by the IRGC and Qatar. The statement noted that Hamas must be held fully accountable for its 'atrocities' during the 'October 7 massacre.' Lieberman and Wallace mentioned that the '6 billion dollar ransom' that secured the release of American hostages in Iran in September created a belief among the IRGC's partners in Hamas and the Houthis that this could bring them a lot of money. They referenced comments by Ali Barakeh, a Hamas official, who emphasized the U.S. agreement with the Islamic Republic and questioned, 'Why doesn't the U.S. exchange prisoners with us?' In response to Republican criticisms linking the release of 6 billion dollars of frozen Tehran funds for the release of five detained Americans in Iran to Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, the White House stated that this money has not yet been spent by the Islamic Republic and can only be used for humanitarian needs. The statement from the head and director of the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' group also mentioned that the Houthis seized a cargo ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea and took 25 crew members hostage. The group called for the Houthis to be returned to the list of foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S., deeming their removal by the Biden administration in 2020 as a 'mistake.' Former President Donald Trump had placed this group on the terrorist list. The Houthis are a Shiite militant group that has controlled Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, since 2014. This group is supported by the Islamic Republic and has engaged in multiple conflicts with the Yemeni government and its allies, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Lieberman and Wallace stated that the U.S. has not responded with sufficient military action against the IRGC's 'terrorist network,' emboldening them to continue hostage-taking. They also called for the release of 190 civilians kidnapped by Hamas and emphasized that the Islamic Republic-backed terrorists should not be incentivized for further hostage-taking.