Some Democratic senators are joining Republicans in calling on the Biden administration to refreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets released last month after Hamas attacked Israel.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., posted on social media platform X on Tuesday about his support for freezing $6 billion in Iranian assets.
“As U.S. intelligence continues to investigate terrorist attacks by Hamas, we should reconsider our options for holding Iran accountable for assistance it may have provided,” the senator said. “At a minimum, it should immediately freeze $6 billion in Iranian assets and explore other financial tools at its disposal.”
Republicans slam Biden for releasing $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds ahead of Hamas attack on Israel
Another Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-Va.), told Politico on Tuesday that he too supports refreezing $6 billion in assets.
“I didn’t support the original $6 billion transfer,” he told the magazine. “These Iranian assets should absolutely be frozen, while considering additional sanctions.”
Manchin did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiries about the matter.
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Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. (Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Biden administration signed a deal with Iran in September to exchange prisoners and release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds.
As part of the deal, Iran released five Americans held in Iran, and the US also released five Iranians held by the US. Under the deal, Iranian funds were frozen without fear of violation. The US sanctions also created a blanket exemption for the transfer of $6 billion from South Korea to Qatar.
No funds were sent directly to Iran, and no U.S. taxpayer funds were reportedly used.
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Sen. Joe Manchin, Democrat of Virginia (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The unfreezing of the funds came nearly a month before Hamas terrorists launched a large-scale and deadly attack against Israel on Saturday, a move that Republicans in the House and Senate called “false and misleading.” “I invite you,” the Biden administration said.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said in a statement shortly after the attack, “Just a few weeks ago, the Biden administration handed over $6 billion to Iran, and today, innocent Israelis were handed over to Iran by Iranian-backed terrorists. He was murdered.” “We must continue to support our strongest allies in the Middle East and their right to defend themselves against these unprovoked and horrific attacks.”
The administration says the funds can only be used for humanitarian purposes and that the United States will oversee when and how the funds are used.
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White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that “not a single dollar” of the funds had been spent.
Still, critics say the funds could be diverted elsewhere. Iran is a known supporter of Hamas and has praised its attacks on Israel. The State Department has said in the past that Iran provides about $100 million a year to Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
