Biden Claim About Halting $6 Billion Dollars In Terror Funds Appears to Be a Ruse

Biden Claim About Halting $6 Billion Dollars In Terror Funds Appears to Be a Ruse 

 Yesterday it was reported (here) that the US and (terror sponsor) Qatar were halting the obscene six billion dollar payout to Iran. Now that appears to be a ruse. “Money being fungible, Iran could repurpose what it has already allocated to those governmental needs — i.e., use it to support terrorist operations by Hamas, Hezbollah, and its other jihadist proxies.”

U.S. officials and the Qatari government have agreed to stop Iran from accessing a $6 billion account for humanitarian assistance in light of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told House Democrats on Thursday. The deal, financed by Iranian oil sales, allowed Iranian entities — not the Iranian government — to access the funds, and only if they provided extensive documentation showing the money will be used for humanitarian purposes. U.S. officials would have to approve each transaction under the agreement. The money had been transferred to Qatar from banks in South Korea to facilitate the arrangement (Washington Post).

 The Post’s report does not say that Qatar is refusing to disburse the funds to third parties at Iran’s direction, or that the transfer of the $6 billion is otherwise rescinded. Unless that happens, this announced agreement with Qatar would just be a feint. The issue has never been Iran’s direct access to the funds. It is whether Iran can benefit from them. Obviously, whether Iran possesses the funds or can decide to whom Qatar can disburse the funds, it would have the capacity to spend them on its governmental needs. Money being fungible, Iran could repurpose what it has already allocated to those governmental needs — i.e., use it to support terrorist operations by Hamas, Hezbollah, and its other jihadist proxies (National Review).