Republicans Call for Investigation into $1.7 Billion Payment to Iran

Republican representatives in the United States have called for an investigation into the payment of $1.7 billion by the U.S. government to Tehran, related to a suspended arms purchase contract following the Iranian Revolution. This issue dates back to the allocation of funds for arms purchases during the reign of the last Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty. However, the release of this blocked amount and its interest, coinciding with the release of American citizens imprisoned in Iran and statements from a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard, has drawn more attention. The unexecuted arms purchase contract prior to the revolution amounted to $400 million, to which $1.3 billion in late fees has been added. Iranian news agencies have reported that the payment of this amount signifies "Iran's victory" regarding a case in the Hague concerning the non-fulfillment of pre-revolutionary arms commitments by the U.S. The announcement of this payment to Iran was made last week, following the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), precisely when American citizens imprisoned in Iran were also released. Three days later, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a commander of the Basij in Iran, stated in a speech that "the recovery of this amount was in exchange for the release of an American spy and is unrelated to the negotiations." His reference was to Iranian-American prisoners, against whom Washington officials have repeatedly denied espionage allegations. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. government has stated that the agreement for this payment was made without external reasons and during negotiations in recent months. They emphasize that this amount is not related to the release of a total of five Americans in Iran and seven Iranian or Iranian-American prisoners in the U.S. Officials in Washington noted that Iran had at one point demanded $3 billion or even more. The Associated Press quoted Mark Toner, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stating that this amount has no connection to the release of Amir Hekmati, Jason Rezaian, Saeed Abedini, and another American; "no payment was made for the return of Americans to the country." Previously, both the Iranian and U.S. foreign ministers had stated that the release of a group of prisoners in Iran and the U.S. coincidentally aligned with the day the nuclear agreement was implemented. Nevertheless, these explanations have not been sufficient for a group of Republican representatives in the U.S. Congress, who hold the majority. Mike Pompeo, a Republican representative from Kansas, has called for investigations in this regard. The House Foreign Affairs Committee has also requested congressional investigators to provide a report on this matter. Republican Senator Jerry Moran has also proposed legislation that could create obstacles for the transfer of this amount.