State Department Won’t Rule Out $50
Billion ‘Signing Bonus’ For Iran, Largest cash
infusion to terror regime in recent memory, experts say AP BY: Adam Kredo April 20, 2015 2:20
pm
The State Department on Monday would
not rule out giving Iran up to $50 billion as a so-called “signing bonus” for
agreeing to a nuclear deal later this year, according to comments made to
journalists following reports that the Obama administration had formulated a
plan to release tens of billions of frozen Iranian funds.
Experts have said this multi-billion
dollar “signing bonus” option, which was first reported by
the Wall Street Journal, could be the largest cash infusion to a
terror-backing regime in recent memory.
A cash release of $30 to $50 billion
upon reaching a final nuclear agreement would come in addition to the more than
$11 billion in unfrozen assets that Iran will already have received under an interim
nuclear accord reached in 2013.
When asked to address these reports
on Monday, State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf attempted to dodge the issue
and then accused reporters of getting “spun up” on the issue.
Asked whether Iran could receive $50
billion “on day one after signing” or verbally agreeing to a nuclear deal, Harf
told reporters that she would “look into it.”
When pressed to provide an answer
about the Journal’s initial report, Harf declined “to go line by line in
the story.”
Harf said sanctions relief to Iran
will continue through June 30.
“They’re getting access to money
throughout this period as well,” she said. “Throughout the extension they’re
now getting some sanctions relief, which will continue through June 30.”
Jonathan Schanzer, a top
terrorism-funding expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD),
said such a cash release to Iran would enable the regime to continue backing
various terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
“This could be the largest cash
infusion to a state sponsor of terrorism in modern history,” Schanzer said.
Reports of this “signing bonus” come
following concessions to
Iran—which range from sanctions relief to continued nuclear work at military
sites—during the most recent round of negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Lawmakers and experts critical of
the Obama administration’s diplomacy with Iran have warned
that a slew of recent concessions in the talks would enable Iran to continue
many aspects of its nuclear program.
Iran is pushing to prohibit
international inspectors from accessing possible military sites until after the
United States provides substantial relief from economic sanctions.
Nuclear experts such as David
Albright, founder of the Institute for Science and International Security
(ISIS), have warned that premature sanctions relief could gut the tough
inspections and oversight regime on Iran promised by the Obama administration.
Under the framework agreement, Iran
also would be permitted to store around 1,000 advanced nuclear centrifuges at
an underground and fortified one-time military site known as Fordow, according to
the Associated Press.
By keeping Fordow active, Iran would
potentially be able to produce weapons-grade material in just a few weeks,
according to Albright.
The New York Times reported
that Iran is refusing to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium, the key
component in a nuclear bomb. Under previous conditions, Iran would have had to
ship these materials out of the country.
These stockpiles would also give
Iran the ability to produce highly enriched weapons-grade uranium in less than
six months, according to experts.
One congressional aide apprised of
the ongoing talks with Iran said the administration continues to relent on key
demands in order to keep Iran at the bargaining table.
“This is a disturbing yet
unsurprising development in a failing series of negotiations,” the source said.
“Once again, it seems the administration is prepared to make drastic
concessions to Tehran in its desperate attempt to reach a deal. As a result,
the United States will gamble away its remaining negotiating leverage with
nothing to show for it.”
Source:http://freebeacon.com/national-security/state-department-wont-rule-out-50-billion-signing-bonus-for-iran/
Comments
The 1959 Peter Sellers spoof movie, “The
Mouse the Roared” is about a tiny, bankrupt European country that declared war
on the US in order to lose and get foreign aid to bail out their bankrupt
country. It poked fun at the US State Department’s policy of “improving” US
relations with other countries by engaging in bribery and caving in to
extortion demands. Getting Chinese aid is North Korea’s biggest industry and
getting US aid is second. Congress needs to grill the State Department about
its budget.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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