Technically....Obama gave Iran access across the globe to $100 to $120 billion of ‘their’ assets (their actual money which was frozen in 1979). Based on various publications....ONLY 2-billion of that was said to be in US banks. The rest was spread mostly around Europe.
Oddly, no one ever ever said in a clear way what the actual amount was. But they (the EU, China, US corporations) were all eager to sell stuff to Iran for the $100 billion.
Technically, it wasn’t “their” money. It was frozen assets of the secular Imperial State of Iran, some of which had been tendered to the U.S. for arms purchases. As the Imperial State of Iran no longer existed, there was no one to return the money to.
Previous administrations wisely declined to return the money to the Islamic government in Iran because (a) It wasn’t their money and (b) they would use it to kill Americans and in their attempt to destroy Isreal.
The thought was too return the money to the Iran should it ever cast off the Islamic government.
Then along came Mr. Genius.
Actually, POTUS was referring to the cargo plane loads of massive pallets of cold, hard currency as well.