SE North Carolina News

Washington, D.C. - A group of Republican senators, led by Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, has sent a letter to President Biden urging him to freeze a $6 billion transfer of funds to Iran. The letter, co-signed by Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina and 17 other senators, highlights concerns about Iran's support for terrorism and its recent collaboration with Hamas.

The letter begins by stating, "Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, and the Wall Street Journal reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas to plan the ongoing attacks on Israel." It goes on to criticize the State Department for issuing waivers that allowed Iranian funds held in South Korean accounts to be converted and transferred to bank accounts in Qatar.

The senators express their belief that allowing Iran access to these funds while Hamas carries out attacks on Israel is "unconscionable." They argue that even if the funds are intended for humanitarian use, there is a risk that they could be used to support terrorism. The senators also raise concerns about the oversight mechanism for the $6 billion, noting that the reported decision to withdraw the Treasury attaché from Qatar has crippled oversight efforts.

In their letter, the senators call on President Biden to rescind the waivers that allowed the funds to be transferred and to work with Qatar to freeze the accounts containing these funds. They emphasize the need to stand with Israel and restrict Iran's access to the funds, stating, "Iran should be placed under the most stringent sanctions admissible. Anything short of this is unacceptable and only aids in the ability of Iran and Hamas to fund these heinous acts."

The letter was signed by a total of 19 senators, including Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Steve Daines of Montana, Rick Scott of Florida, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, John Thune of South Dakota, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, John Cornyn of Texas, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Mike Braun of Indiana, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Roger Marshall of Kansas.

This letter reflects the concerns of these senators about the potential misuse of Iranian funds and the need to ensure that Iran does not have the resources to support terrorism. It calls on President Biden to take immediate action to freeze the $6 billion transfer and work with Qatar to prevent access to these funds.

To find out more, go to this link: https://www.budd.senate.gov/2023/10/10/budd-blackburn-colleagues-call-on-biden-to-freeze-6-billion-iran-transfer/