In the face of the recent terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, current President Joe Biden’s administration is refusing to re-freeze the $6 billion worth of Iran aid. Understandably, many people are expressing their absolute outrage over this news.
This news is especially troubling considering Iran’s role in orchestrating and funding these heinous acts of violence.
The announcement comes at a time when more than 1,000 Israelis and over a dozen Americans have been killed in the conflict. Republican politicians are outraged and calling on President Biden to immediately reverse course and freeze the funds. Former president Donald Trump has also weighed in, condemning Joe Biden for allowing Iran to sell oil and for supposedly “betray[ing] Israel”.
National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that while the money could be refrozen if necessary, there were no plans to do so at this time. This statement was met with sharp criticism from Republicans who feel that Iran should not receive any financial help from the US while it continues to back terrorist groups like Hamas which has been responsible for hundreds of deaths.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wrote on X: “The United States should not be sending a single penny to Iran — let alone $6 billion. I am immediately calling on Biden to reverse course and cancel the ransom agreement.”
U.S Senate candidate Dave McCormick echoed these sentiments tweeting: “Given the Hamas attack on Israel, I call on President Biden to block release of the money…Don’t give Iran a penny”.
The United States should not be sending a single penny to Iran — let alone $6 billion.
I am immediately calling on Biden to reverse course and cancel the ransom agreement.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 9, 2023
Donald Trump also spoke out about this issue saying “This war happened for three reasons: the allowing by the Biden administration of Iran to sell massive amounts of oil and making $60 billion dollars; the United States giving Iran $6 billion dollars ransom; and our country’s perceived weakness with an incompetent and corrupt leader, Joe Biden, who’s laughed at all over the world.”
He went on further expressing his commitment for standing firmly with Israel if he were re-elected president as well as cutting off funds going towards Palestinian terrorists upon his first day in office should he win another term in 2024.
