U.S. State Department: We Did Not Issue a 'Sanction Waiver' for Iran, We Granted a Transfer License

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department reacted to reports about a sanction waiver granted for transferring blocked funds to Iran, stating that it is not a 'sanction waiver' but merely a technical approval for a previously announced transfer. According to a reporter from the English section of Voice of America, the spokesperson clarified: 'The United States has allowed the transfer of blocked Iranian funds from South Korea to restricted accounts in financial institutions in Qatar to facilitate the release of five detained American citizens. For this reason, the U.S. Secretary of State signed a waiver last week that enables this transfer.' He also emphasized: 'This waiver allows the transfer of funds from one location to another, but it does not change the fact that Iranians can only use it to finance the purchase of humanitarian goods, as no money goes directly to Iran, and the U.S. will monitor how and when these funds are used after the transfer to Qatar.' The spokesperson noted: 'This is a long-standing U.S. policy to ensure that our sanctions do not prevent the flow of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods and services to ordinary people, regardless of how reliable their governments may be.' The State Department's press office explicitly stated: 'We have not lifted any of our sanctions against Iran, and Iran is not receiving any sanction relief. We continue to counter the human rights violations of the Iranian regime, its destabilizing actions abroad, its support for terrorism, and its backing of Russia's war against Ukraine, and we are working to free American citizens wrongfully held by Iran, while continuing to closely monitor their health and welfare with the help of our Swiss partners.' Reuters reported on Monday afternoon U.S. time that it had seen a document under which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a sanction waiver as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the United States and the Islamic Republic for transferring blocked Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar. Reuters added that this waiver allows international banks to transfer money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions, but this money is intended for humanitarian purchases by Iran. Republican lawmakers have protested, stating that the release of funds for the Islamic Republic is an incentive for further hostage-taking. Reuters: Blinken issued a sanction waiver for the transfer of blocked Iranian funds from South Korea. Reuters: Iran and the U.S. are on the verge of a prisoner exchange mediated by Qatar. An Iranian judicial official stated that details of the prisoner exchange will be announced 'upon the full implementation of agreements.' The U.S. stated that uranium enrichment to 60% has 'no credible peaceful purpose.' Exclusive: The White House stated that the priority is to bring back imprisoned Americans, not nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic. The White House: The understanding for the release of American prisoners in Iran is still on track. An open letter to Biden: The release of $6 billion in exchange for the release of dual-national prisoners is a 'dangerous precedent.'