Former Speaker of the U.S. House Calls for 'Again' Freezing of $6 Billion in Iranian Assets

Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, urged President Joe Biden to once again freeze $6 billion of the Islamic Republic's assets in response to Hamas's attack on Israel on Saturday. According to The Hill, McCarthy criticized the Biden administration for its prisoner exchange with the Islamic Republic and its decision to release $6 billion of Iran's frozen assets in exchange for the freedom of five American citizens. On Monday, October 9, McCarthy stated, 'Biden's policy of appeasement towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, including paying money for hostage deals, must end. His policy has only emboldened terrorists, and giving $6 billion to Iran only contributes to this.' McCarthy mentioned that the Biden administration had told Congress members that they 'have regulations to freeze the money again if the Islamic Republic makes a mistake. (The Biden administration) should freeze that money today.' U.S. officials say there is no evidence of direct Iranian involvement in Hamas and Islamic Jihad's attack on Israel on Saturday, but they confirm Iran's long-standing support for these groups. U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor John Feiner said on ABC on Monday, in response to a recent Wall Street Journal report that specifically attributed the recent Hamas attack on Israel to the Islamic Republic, 'We have no direct information to confirm that report. We have seen it, we are reviewing it. But at this time, we do not have the ability to confirm it.' Feiner added, 'What we can be clear about is that Iran is broadly complicit in these attacks as it has financially supported Hamas and provided it with training and weapons over the decades.' McCarthy, who has opened a potential path back to the Speakership amid the Hamas attack and widespread killings in Israel, also urged the Biden administration to act to retrieve Americans who may be held hostage by Hamas. He said, 'Three years ago, there was no war in Europe or Israel, but today there is. The United States must resume its maximum pressure campaign against Iran. Freezing the $6 billion again is just the beginning.' Earlier on Sunday, October 8, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to criticism from some Republicans who claim that the funds related to the prisoner exchange agreement with the Islamic Republic were used for Hamas's attack on Israel, stating on ABC, 'I can say it is regrettable that some are actually saying things that may have political motivations at a time when many lives have been lost and Israel is still under attack.' Blinken emphasized that under the prisoner exchange agreement, only frozen funds from a bank in South Korea were transferred to other banks, and the Islamic Republic had previously been able to use those resources in South Korea under conditions set by the U.S. Blinken stated that the funds 'included Iranian resources, not American taxpayer dollars. These were resources that Iran obtained from its oil sales that were frozen in the bank. In this case, in South Korea. They have always had the right to use this funding based on our laws and under our sanctions for humanitarian purposes, and the funds were transferred from one bank to another to facilitate this.' He added, 'Moreover, to date, not a single dollar from that account has been spent. And regarding any (expenditure), the U.S. Treasury Department closely regulates the spending of that money to ensure that it is only used for food, medicine, and medical supplies. Therefore, those who are promoting this false narrative either have incorrect information or are providing misinformation. In any case, it is wrong.' Meanwhile, reports from Israel indicate that the death toll from the unprecedented Hamas and Islamic Jihad attack on Israel has risen to 900.