The Truth on Our Payment to Iran

Hey there-

This morning, the House Financial Services subcommittee held a hearing on the $1.7 billion ransom cash payment made to the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Americans should be quite worried about the revelations that came from this hearing considering the very form of payment and its use are being called into question.

State Department officials gave a small glimpse into the negotiation process of the payment where the Iranian government pushed for “immediate” compensation. Due to the current sanctions held against the nation, State Department officials stated this would require an untraceable cash payment. It isn’t a far jump to call an untraceable cash payment, which the Commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated was “paid in exchange for the American prisoners,” ransom.

If the idea of paying ransom to a state sponsor of terrorism isn’t troubling enough, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iranian Affairs could NOT guarantee the American people that the $1.7 billion payment would not be funneled into terrorist groups. In July, Susan Rice, President Obama’s national security advisor, expressed the same view, stating we should expect the money to go to the Iranian military and be used for the bad behavior we have seen previously.

With the current revelations regarding the untraceable cash payment and its use to fund the Iranian military and terrorist organizations, how can House Democrats continue to stand with the Obama administration as our national security crumbles around them?

NRCC Comment: “As new revelations on this payment continue to come out from the Obama administration, it is becoming more and more apparent that the $1.7 billion paid to Iran was ransom for American hostages. House Democrats will be held responsible at the ballot box this November as President Obama continues to destabilize the Middle East and undermine our national security.” –NRCC Spokeswoman Kate Constantini