Posted on 04/20/2015 12:12:51 PM PDT by Dave346
Largest cash infusion to terror regime in recent memory, experts say
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 Journals initial report, Harf declined to go line by line in the story.
Harf said sanctions relief to Iran will continue through June 30.
Theyre getting access to money throughout this period as well, she said. Throughout the extension theyre 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 Iranwhich range from sanctions relief to continued nuclear work at military sitesduring the most recent round of negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Lawmakers and experts critical of the Obama administrations 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.
Really bad writing. Signing bonus? Read quite a bit and still don’t know if it is meant that $50 billion of frozen assets will be released upon signing an agreement, or if somehow the US is suppose to pay Iran %50 billion from the Treasury.
More and more often we have to read and read to determine what an article is about, and sometimes still don’t know.
Whatever, just more indication that Obama is ready to give away the farm to reach some agreement, any agreement.
Happy to know we’ll be paying for Iran’s bomb research.
You hit the nail on the head.
someone please help me here. i need a definition check
if a country is an enemy of another country... vowing to destroy it on a daily basis... wouldn’t it be considered treason to help that country achieve its goal of destruction??
Just how much dirt does Obama and the MB Iranians in the WH and working for Hillary have on the republicans?
dirt is safe if the broom is burned
We should not be giving one cent of hard-earned taxpayer money to a demonic nation!
I order to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, President Obama is pushing a deal to end end sanctions on Iran with very little in return and absolutely no mechanism for verification that they are actually following through on their commitments to do very little in return.
To reward this, Obama is going to permanently lift sanctions on Iran and give Iran 50 Billion American dollars that can be used to openly fund Iran's development of ballistic misiles and to covertly develop nuclear weapons
With Iran’s, Russia’s and China’s currencies somewhat internationally low (little understatement there), $50 billion would get Iran enough help from Russia and China to build a whole lot of fancy nukes real fast. Not that it’s not already happening. The generic, bipartisan, influential constituents pulling strings of politicians must be proud.
Is there no way to stop this madness?
Even so, obama and the his masters win. Breaking usa power will enable obama's middle east buddies to attempt to expand their own. The prospects are even better if the USA and Russia wreck each other over eastern european issues. If the enemy president remains in power, he can rot the military and thereby enable chaos in many parts of the world. If he is relieved of duty, then there will be uncertainty and division in usa decision making for a period of time. This also enables a useful chaos for those ready. In addition the slowly simmering anti-white and anti-oriental race war inside the usa will boil over.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.(LOTR, Gandalf to Frodo Baggins)
C’mon, Iran, you can do better than that. Hold out for 100 billion and 5 Gitmo detainees to be released later.
Incorrect, the $50 billion is in addition to the unfrozen assets.
“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. “
You are caught in a circle: The Fox article that you linked to, links back the article at the top of this thread.
When you have printing presses running overtime it doesn't matter what Congress approves. I believe no one actually knows what we spend or where. Un-budgeted money = counterfeit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.