US and Qatari officials have decided to keep Iran from accessing $6 billion worth of recently unfrozen oil revenues tied up in Doha, at least for now.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo briefed House Democrats about the “quiet understanding” Thursday, five days after Tehran-backed Hamas’ massacre of at least 1,300 people in southern Israel, according to CBS News and the Washington Post.
According to the latter outlet, Adeyemo told lawmakers that the money “isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
The funds, which were holed up in South Korean banks before being transferred to an account in Qatar last month, was allowed to be unfrozen by the Biden administration as part of a prisoner swap deal with the Tehran theocracy.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has repeatedly stressed that the $6 billion was being closely monitored by the Treasury Department and could only be used for humanitarian purposes.
“None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have actually been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” Blinken told reporters Thursday in Israel.
“Funds from that account are overseen by the Treasury Department and can only be dispensed for humanitarian goods,” he continued. “We have strict oversight of the funds. And we retain the right to freeze them.”
Top White House officials sidestepped questions Thursday about reports of the agreement.
“I’m not going to talk about diplomatic conversations one way or another,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“I’m not in a position to speak about these press reports,” he went on. “I’m not going to speculate one way or another here about future transactions. What I can tell you is none of it has been accessed, and we are watching every dime.”
A chorus of Republicans and even some Democrats had urged the Biden administration to “refreeze” that money in the wake of Hamas’ deadly attack.
So far, US officials have said there is no direct evidence that Iran either planned or directly ordered Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, despite Tehran backing the terrorist group.
On Tuesday, national security officials reportedly told senators they have reports that “directly contradict” a Wall Street Journal report of direct involvement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the terrorist assault.
However, the White House has also described Iran as “complicit” in the Oct. 7 attack, which also killed at least 27 Americans.
Another 14 are still missing, Kirby announced Thursday.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) told The Post she wants a “formal agreement” between the US and Qatar instead of a “leak to the media.”
“Biden knows the $6 billion transfer served as a catalyst for the Iran-backed terrorist attacks. We need a formal agreement to freeze the funds — not a leak to the media. Biden should follow the lead of myself and my colleagues who called on the admin to freeze the payment,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Biden administration officials agreed to unfreeze the $6 billion during a deal finalized last month in which the US also freed five Iranians in exchange for five American detainees.
Officials from the Treasury Department, State Department and National Security Council did not respond to requests for comment.