Posted on 08/24/2016 6:45:07 PM PDT by TigerClaws
The Obama administration said Wednesday it paid $1.3 billion in interest to Iran in January to resolve a decades-old dispute over an undelivered military sale, two days after allowing $400 million in cash to fly to Tehran.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau says the U.S. couldn’t say more about the Jan. 19 payments because of diplomatic sensitivities. They involved 13 separate payments of $99,999,999.99 and final payment of about $10 million. There was no explanation for the Treasury Department keeping the individual transactions under $100 million.
The money settles a dispute over a $400 million payment made in the 1970s by the U.S.-backed shah’s government for military equipment. The equipment was never delivered because of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the shah and ended diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran.
On Jan. 17, the administration paid Iran the account’s $400 million principal in pallets of euros, Swiss francs and other foreign currency, raising questions about the unusual payment. The $1.3 billion covers what Iran and the U.S. agreed would be the interest on the $400 million over the decades.
Obama defends Iran cash payout, addresses ISIS threat Play VIDEO Obama defends Iran cash payout, addresses ISIS threat The deal has faced increased scrutiny since the administration’s acknowledgment this month that it used the money as leverage to ensure the release of four American prisoners.
Republican critics accuse the administration of paying a “ransom.”
President Barack Obama and other officials deny such claims, though they’ve struggled to explain why the U.S. paid in cash. President Obama said it was because the United States and Iran didn’t have a banking relationship after years of nuclear-related sanctions, but that wouldn’t rule out using intermediary banks that maintain relationship with both.
Briefing reporters last week, a senior U.S. official involved in the negotiations said the interest payments were made to Iran in a “fairly above-board way,” using a foreign central bank. But the official, who wasn’t authorized to be quoted by name and demanded anonymity, wouldn’t say if the interest was delivered to Iran in physical cash, as with the $400 million principal, or via a more regular banking mechanism.
The money came from a little-known fund administered by the Treasury Department for settling litigation claims. The so-called Judgment Fund is taxpayer money Congress has permanently approved in the event it’s needed, allowing the president to bypass direct congressional approval to make a settlement. The U.S. previously paid out $278 million in Iran-related claims by using the fund in 1991.
Obama is a POS traitor.
Reagan doing 360s in his grave.
By what authority and permission of Congress?
Just keeps getting better!!
If the Government owes you Money, especially the IRS, THEY DO NOT PAY INTEREST.
So why in the hell would Obama??
Something smells fishy, maybe we can get Trey Gowdy or Darrell Issa to hold some more sham hearings to BURY THE EVIDENCE.
Well we’d better all get back to work. Gotta replenish the feds terroist payoff fund.
What is the real dollar amount adjusted for inflation?
What happened is the 70’s that makes this payment justified?
“Something smells fishy, maybe we can get Trey Gowdy or Darrell Issa to hold some more sham hearings to BURY THE EVIDENCE.”
Want to bet some of that money is winding up in DNC coffers?
Where did the 0bomb get all that money? We’re dead broke like the Clintons were. Was the treasury printing office on double shifts? The money should have been counterfeit.
Acting stoopidly comes natchul.
So where was this in the budget?
So much for rule of law...
Maybe a strongly worded letter will be written and they’ll both sign it.
The only reason you pay a supposed debt to a terror sponsor nation plus interest is if you want to see them succeed. And if you want them to succeed you are a terrorist as well.
Pretty much sums up who the Chicago regime is.
“...13 separate payments of $99,999,999.99.... There was no explanation for the Treasury Department keeping the individual transactions under $100 million.”
Almost like they were trying to avoid something that would have been legally required for a transaction of $100 million or more. Gee, I wonder what would happen to me if I were to make 13 cash transactions of $9,999.99 at my bank.
< Obama is a POS traitor.
$2B should be enough to build enough nukes to turn America into Dearborn; just the way Obama, Soros, and the rest of the administration want it. Years from now when we are having to live off the land with no place to call home we can remember this was all caused by naive Millenials too distracted by their damn cell phones and video games to do their homework on the socialist hope and change cheerleader for the NWO.
OBAMA IS A TRAITOR TO THIS COUNTRY. He belongs in jail, and hopefully this will happen if we ever get the corrupt politicians cleaned out of our gov’t. May that day come sooner than later.
Yup
Iran as a superpower
Funded by 0bama
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