President Joe Biden was criticized for his decision to be in Alaska on the 22nd anniversary of September 11 as the government praised Saudi Arabia and reached a deal to give Iran billions of money.
The president claimed he went to the site of the 2001 terrorist attacks the day after they happened. The White House wasn’t able to back up their claim with proof, whereas there is evidence indicating Biden was, in fact, in the nation’s capital that day.
NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson tweeted on the 22nd anniversary that the Biden administration is grateful for Saudi Arabia’s support of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure, a program that supposedly helps poor nations construct economies. In return for allowing the release of 5 American captives held by the Islamic government, the Biden administration authorized a deal unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian funds and freeing five Iranian prisoners.
Reports show Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a blanket waiver allowing banks to transfer $6 billion in confiscated Iranian assets from South Korea to Qatar. The $6 billion is part of an agreement that has been criticized as a “ransom” payment since the Iranians will get five American captives in return for the five detained by Iran.
A report reveals that the deal was announced in early August. Four American detainees were moved from an Iranian prison to house detention last month, and their release was contingent on the handover of these assets.
Experts and parliamentarians in foreign policy cautioned that the agreement would not reduce tensions with Iran and would instead encourage Iran to take more aggressive measures toward the United States.
A new series of U.N. reports stated that “no progress” had been made with Tehran on crucial issues regarding its nuclear ambitions, including a justification as to why evidence of uranium was detected at undeclared sites, making it unlikely that the deal would convince the Islamic Republic to reenter its nuclear de-escalation program.
Concerned that the agreement had too many exemptions and had a “sunset provision” that would have enabled Iran to resume its nuclear program in 2025, then-President Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) and subsequently reinstated sanctions against Iran in 2018.
