Brainwashed Rightists Sucked In Again!
2023-10-09 14:57:51 UTC
BASH: While were talking about Iran, I just have to ask you if you want to
respond to what were hearing from Republicans, who are over and over since
this happened using the word appeasement when it comes to Iran and your
administration. They criticize your decision to unfreeze $6 billion in
Iranian funds. I know and want to say that that money, according to your
administration, has not yet been unfrozen. Iran does not yet have it. But the
accusation is that the administrations posture toward Iran has helped
contribute to this. I want to give you a chance to respond.
BLINKEN: Well, there are two things here. First, with regard to the funds
that you mentioned that were made available to Iran for humanitarian purposes
as part of getting Americans back who were being held and detained in Iran.
Lets be very clear about this, and its deeply unfortunate that some are
playing politics when so many lives have been lost and Israel remains under
attack. The facts are these. No U.S. taxpayer dollars were involved. These
were Iranian resources that Iran had accumulated for the sale of its oil that
were stuck in a bank in South Korea. They have had from day one under our
sanctions the right to use these monies for humanitarian purposes. They were
moved from one account to another in another country to facilitate that use.
As of now, not a single dollar has been spent from that account. And, again,
the account is closely regulated by the U.S. Treasury Department so it can
only be used for things like food, medicine, medical equipment. Thats what
this is about. And by the way, the previous administration set up a very
similar mechanism to enable Iran to use its oil proceeds that were blocked
from various places or stuck in various places for humanitarian purposes. So
people are either misinformed or theyre misinforming, and either way it's
wrong.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/8/2198018/-Sunday-Four-Play-Matt-
Gaetz-tries-to-splain-himself-and-Blinken-responds-to-GOP-lies-about-Hamas?
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respond to what were hearing from Republicans, who are over and over since
this happened using the word appeasement when it comes to Iran and your
administration. They criticize your decision to unfreeze $6 billion in
Iranian funds. I know and want to say that that money, according to your
administration, has not yet been unfrozen. Iran does not yet have it. But the
accusation is that the administrations posture toward Iran has helped
contribute to this. I want to give you a chance to respond.
BLINKEN: Well, there are two things here. First, with regard to the funds
that you mentioned that were made available to Iran for humanitarian purposes
as part of getting Americans back who were being held and detained in Iran.
Lets be very clear about this, and its deeply unfortunate that some are
playing politics when so many lives have been lost and Israel remains under
attack. The facts are these. No U.S. taxpayer dollars were involved. These
were Iranian resources that Iran had accumulated for the sale of its oil that
were stuck in a bank in South Korea. They have had from day one under our
sanctions the right to use these monies for humanitarian purposes. They were
moved from one account to another in another country to facilitate that use.
As of now, not a single dollar has been spent from that account. And, again,
the account is closely regulated by the U.S. Treasury Department so it can
only be used for things like food, medicine, medical equipment. Thats what
this is about. And by the way, the previous administration set up a very
similar mechanism to enable Iran to use its oil proceeds that were blocked
from various places or stuck in various places for humanitarian purposes. So
people are either misinformed or theyre misinforming, and either way it's
wrong.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/8/2198018/-Sunday-Four-Play-Matt-
Gaetz-tries-to-splain-himself-and-Blinken-responds-to-GOP-lies-about-Hamas?
pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_9&pm_medium=web