The Biden Administration is weighing the possibility of refreezing the $6 billion in Iranian funds that were released last month, after Iran-backed Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, according to reports.
The money was released for humanitarian purposes, but President Biden has since been criticized that it may have played a role in the attack on Saturday.
Bloomberg reported that a U.S. official claimed intelligence agencies believe Iran knew Hamas had plans to take “some action against Israel,” though there was no evidence Iran directed the surprise attack that killed at least 1,200 Israelis and wounded thousands more.
REPUBLICANS BLAST BIDEN FOR RELEASING $6B IN FROZEN IRAN FUNDS AHEAD OF HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL
President Biden (Drew Angerer/Getty Images/File/Fox News)
In September, the Biden administration made a deal with Iran to swap prisoners and release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds.
As part of the deal, Iran released five American citizens detained in Iran and the U.S. released five Iranian citizens being held in the U.S. The deal also created a blanket waiver to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar without fear of violating U.S. sanctions.
None of the money went directly to Iran and no U.S. taxpayer funds were reportedly used.
DEMOCRATS JOIN REPUBLICAN PUSH FOR BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO REFREEZE $6B IRANIAN ASSETS
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, center, attends a ceremony delivering missiles to Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani, left, in August. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP/File/Fox News)
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, speaking Wednesday at the annual International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Marrakesh, Morocco, said the money has not been spent and could be re-frozen.
“These are funds that are sitting in Qatar that were made available purely for humanitarian purposes, the funds have not been touched,” she told reporters. “I wouldn’t take anything off the table in terms of future possible actions, but I certainly don’t want to get ahead of where we are on that.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifies during the House Financial Services hearing. On Friday she warned of the negative consequences of another government shutdown. (Getty Images)
The unfreezing of the money took place nearly a month before Hamas terrorists launched a massive, deadly attack on Israel on Saturday, and Republicans in the House and Senate are tearing into the Biden administration, calling the move “false and misleading.”
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Critics argue the funds can be diverted to other places. Iran is a known backer of Hamas and praised the attacks on Israel. The State Department has stated in the past that Iran provides some $100 million a year to Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Fox News Digital’s Megan Henney and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
