Latest Biden Admin Sanctions Waiver Allows $500 Million Payment for Iran, Tehran Says

Cruz: Biden helps Iran arm Russia in its war against Ukraine

According to Iranian officials, the Biden administration cleared the way to make a payment of $500 million to Iran’s hardline regime. This payment was being held up due to sanctions.

Hamid Hosseini (secretary general of the Iran–Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce) stated last week that the Biden administration had failed to fulfill its obligations. “granted another sanction waiver and allowed the payment of 500 million dollars from Iraq’s electricity debt to Iran.” Hosseini claimed that the agreement was signed while Hosseini, Iraq’s foreign minister, was in Washington, D.C., during a trip that included meetings and discussions with State Department officials.

The State Department, which must approve these sanctions waivers, did not confirm or deny the reports and instead directed them. Washington Free Beacon To the Treasury Department, who did not respond. A spokesperson for the State Department refused to answer questions regarding whether this payment was made in recent talks between the Iraqi government and the State Department.

According to Iranian state media, the $500 million Iran owes to Iran was frozen by an Iraqi bank because of U.S. trade sanctions with Tehran.

Republicans believe the funds will support Iran’s hardline regime while it cracks down against protesters and supplies lethal military equipment for Russia in preparation for Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine. Over the past few months, Iran has tortured and killed scores of protesters trying to overthrow the hardline regime. Although the Biden administration has largely abandoned hopes of revitalising the 2015 nuclear agreement, the alleged payment suggests that it may still be open to giving Tehran additional concessions in a new deal.

“The Biden administration has allowed Iran to make uncountable billions violating oil sanctions and now, again, they are sending additional billions to the Ayatollah,” Ted Cruz, a senator from Texas, was a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Free Beacon. “These actions obviously, acutely, and undeniably endanger the safety and lives of Americans.”

Cruz stated that this cash also allows Cruz to buy things. “the regime to boost Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine. The administration admits that Iran is Russia’s number-one military backer. It shows you what their priorities actually are.”

Iraq’s growing alliance with Iran is also stoking concerns in the Republican-controlled House. In February, lawmakers warned that Iraq had become an Iranian ally. “client state” And they have threatened to reduce more than half a million dollars in U.S. security assistance to Baghdad.

Iran claims the 500 million dollars in funds were kept inside the Iraqi Trade Bank until the Biden administration approved their release.

“Iran’s money is in a bank that is under the supervision of the United States, and it is only allowed to import goods that are not sanctioned,” Hosseini stated this in comments published by Iran’s state-controlled media. “For example, last year in March, one billion dollars of goods were imported to Iran through this route, and Iran’s debt to Turkmenistan was paid from this.”

The U.S. has been a major player in U.S-Iraq relations for years. This is due to Iraq’s dependence upon Tehran for electricity and other services. The State Department repeatedly renewed sanctions waivers that allow Iraq to pay Iran out of funds that should have been frozen because sanctions.

Trump also granted waivers. However, it encouraged Iraq to stop using Iranian electricity. These sanctions were renewed several times by the Biden administration, including March 2021 and March 2222. Each waiver allowed Iraq to import electricity directly from Iran for 120 days without being subject to sanctions.

Iraq has pressed U.S. officials for waivers to continue, claiming that Iran cannot be paid in time and will cause power shortages. These concerns likely surfaced last month, when the Iraqi delegation visited Washington to meet with State Department officials and Biden administration officials.

Iran claims that Iraq owes approximately $18 billion in backpayments.