US Republicans to Vote on $400 Million Payment to Iran

One of the leaders of the Republican Party in the United States, which holds the majority in Congress, emphasized on Wednesday that they will vote on a proposal regarding the $400 million paid to Iran following the release of four Iranian-American prisoners. According to the Associated Press, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, did not provide further details about this proposal. The report states that Republicans have previously called for the presence of US government officials in Congress to provide explanations on this matter. In this context, Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also stated that the committee is preparing a proposal to prevent further payments to Iran. He added: 'End the secret payment of money to this state sponsor of terrorism.' The US State Department, in its annual report on terrorism released in June of this year, placed Iran at the 'top' of the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The American newspaper Wall Street Journal reported on August 4 that the Obama administration sent an equivalent of $400 million in cash to Tehran by plane at the same time as the release of Iranian-American prisoners from Iranian jails. This money was delivered to Iran in currencies such as euros, Swiss francs, and other currencies. This $400 million is part of the $1.7 billion related to the repayment of a suspended arms deal after the revolution and the profits accrued from it over the years. Following the publication of this report, Republicans accused the Obama administration of paying ransom to Iran for the release of prisoners. Meanwhile, Barack Obama and John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, emphasized that this money was part of a debt and compensation owed by the US. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, also stated that this matter is not confidential and that following a ruling by the International Court of Justice regarding Iran's frozen assets, lawyers and legal advisors recommended that this money be paid; otherwise, the US would have to pay billions of dollars in damages to Iran in the future.