NEWS: REACTIONS TRAIL US AND IRAN PRISONER EXCHANGE AND THE $6 BILLION DEAL
NEWS: REACTIONS TRAIL US AND IRAN PRISONER EXCHANGE AND THE $6 BILLION DEAL
The US and Iran prisoner exchange will free $6 billion in Iranian oil
revenue held in South Korea, with both countries discussing a possible
arrangement that would seek to place some limitations on Iran's expanding
nuclear program.
Tehran and Washington have agreed to swap five prisoners
each.
Since President Joe Biden came to power, Qatar has played a
crucial role in enabling discussions between Tehran and Washington over the
prisoner release. The terms of the US and Iran prisoner exchange were discussed
months before the deal.
The US imposed severe sanctions on Iran in 2018 when the
Trump administration withdrew from the JCPOA, allowing countries such as South
Korea, Turkey and India to purchase its oil but preventing Tehran from
accessing the funds. The money had to be used for non-sanctionable items like
food and medicine but in recent years, Iran lost access to those funds
entirely.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in 2015 by
Iran and several world powers, including the United States. The JCPOA placed
significant restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions
relief.
The new deal will allow the money to be moved into a new
account in Qatar that Iran can access. It will boost the Iranian economy at a
time when Iran poses a growing threat to U.S. troops and Mideast allies.
However, during the US and Iran prisoner exchange talks,
both countries discussed a possible arrangement that would seek to place some
limitations on Iran's expanding nuclear program and avoid an international
crisis.
Many Americans, especially Republicans have condemned the
deal saying it would only encourage more hostage-taking, stating that Biden
struck a deal with the world's No. 1 terrorist state.
Republican, Michael McCaul said : "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."
Gabriel Noronha, a former State Department advisor on Iran,
stated: "9/11 is one hell of a day to notify Congress you're transferring
$6 billion to the regime harbouring Saif al-Adel and the rest of Al-Qaeda's
leadership."
Some are however empathetic to the release of the prisoners
who are coming home to their families — Brittney Griner, the basketball player
released in December after almost nine months in a Russian prison, broke down
in tears on hearing the news of the Americans' release.
She said: "I'm really happy. And I can't wait for it to
be official, and for them to be home with their family."
On Monday 18th September, a plane carrying five
American prisoners released by Iran as part of a high-profile prisoner exchange
landed in the Qatari capital Doha, before the former detainees are expected to
then fly on to the United States.
The former detainees walked off the plane onto the tarmac at
Doha International Airport after arriving from Tehran. They were greeted by
both US and Qatari officials.
The former prisoners were not expected to spend long in
Qatar, and would soon be on their way home to the US.
Two of the five Iranians imprisoned by the US have already
arrived in the Gulf state, before they transit on to Iran. The three other
released Iranians have decided against returning to Iran, with two staying in
the US, and one going on to a third country.
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