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- US Congress passes bill barring 'ransom' payments to Iran
US Congress passes bill barring 'ransom' payments to Iran
The White House has staunchly denied accusations that the $400 million had constituted a ransom payment
The United States Congress passed legislation on Thursday banning cash payments to Iran, reportedly in response to the Obama administration's transfer of $400 million to the Islamic Republic in January, which Republicans allege was 'ransom' for the release of American captives.
The bill bars the United States from paying Iran "cash of any kind", specifying that the US will not pay to "ransom or release prisoners." The bill further demands that the White House give Congress 30 days advanced notice before any payment transactions between Iran and the US are finalized, and calls on the administration to justify all such payments and prove that they are not ransom.
The White House has already signaled vetoing the bill, which was passed by a 254 to 163 vote almost directly along party lines, the Washington Post reports.
The White House has staunchly denied accusations that the $400 million cash payment had constituted ransom, saying it was part of a $1.7 billion settlement with Iran over an unimplemented arms deal signed before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The $400 million cash payment, brought to Iran in non-US currency on an Iranian cargo plane, coincided with the release of American prisoners during the negotiation of a landmark nuclear accord between Iran, the US, and other Western powers in January.
The Obama administration told legislators that the rest of the $1.7 billion settlement was sent to Iran via Europe on January 22 and February 5.
The White House acknowledged that the cash was used as leverage to make sure the prisoners were released, and opponents have argued that Iran could use the money to fund military allies, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah.
Read more:
- US sought 'leverage' for prisoner release with $400 mn payment to Iran