U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has called for a halt on the release of $6 billion in Iranian sanctions funding amid concerns about Iran’s potential involvement in recent attacks. The frozen assets, primarily Iranian oil revenues blocked in South Korean banks, were recently unfrozen by the U.S. as part of an agreement. However, their usage is limited to humanitarian purposes and is supervised by Qatar’s central bank.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Senator Casey criticized Republican politicians for what he perceives as attempts to mislead the American public on this grave issue. He stated, “None of the sanctions funds have been transferred to Iran. These funds should remain frozen until we can determine whether Iran played a role in the attack and what the appropriate U.S. response should be.”
Casey further highlighted the need for unity within the United States, arguing that division only strengthens our adversaries. He emphasized the importance of supporting Israel during its time of need and working towards preventing further tragedy.
The decision to unfreeze these assets has faced criticism from some quarters, with detractors suggesting that the funds could indirectly bolster actions against Israel by freeing up other Iranian resources. Critics argue that Iran could potentially use these funds to support groups like Hamas. However, neither Israel nor the White House has confirmed a direct link between the released funds and recent attacks on Israel.
While Iran is known to provide support to Hamas, the group also maintains a certain level of independence from Tehran. This makes it difficult to directly correlate specific funding sources with the actions taken by such groups. As such, Senator Casey’s call for the funds to remain frozen serves as a precautionary measure in the face of unfolding events.
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