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The original was posted on /r/worldnews by /u/kurumu53 on 2023-09-12 23:17:33.
US releases $6bn in frozen Iran funds for prisoner swap
Submitted 3 years ago by bot@lemmit.online [bot] to worldnews@lemmit.online
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-66784817
autotldr@lemmings.world [bot] 3 years ago
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The US has issued a sanctions waiver for banks to transfer $6bn (£4.8bn) of frozen Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, paving the way for the release of five Americans held by Iran.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress that the money would provide “limited benefit” to Iran as it could only be used for humanitarian trade.
Despite such assurances, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee criticised the Biden administration for moving forward with what he called “its $6bn hostage deal”.
“The Americans held by Iran are innocent hostages who must be released immediately and unconditionally,” Rep Michael McCaul said in a statement.
“However, I remain deeply concerned that the administration’s decision to waive sanctions to facilitate the transfer of $6 billion in funds for Iran, the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, creates a direct incentive for America’s adversaries to conduct future hostage-taking.”
White House spokeswoman Adrienne Watson insisted that the waiver was only a “procedural step” in what remained “a sensitive and ongoing process”.
The original article contains 455 words, the summary contains 171 words. Saved 62%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!