If it seems like the relationship between the Obama administration and Israel is getting frostier, there’s a very good reason why.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the U.S. State Department—fresh off its nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic—is now negotiating on Iran’s behalf to secure even more money from frozen accounts held by our European allies. Thomas Shannon, the State Department’s undersecretary for political affairs, informed lawmakers Tuesday that efforts to aid Iran’s access to funds includes direct engagement from the Obama administration.
“There will be instances in which we need to help Iran access that money by clarifying the regulations under which money can be transferred to them,” he said. “We have found that as Iran seeks those funds there are banks that are unclear about the nature of the regulatory structures and what sanctions have been lifted and what have not.”
Iran is arguably the nation’s biggest state sponsor of Islamic violence, particularly those aimed at Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vocally opposed to any deal with Iran, but was reportedly outraged over the $150 billion windfall for the Islamic Republic as a result of the final nuclear deal.
Shannon even admitted Iran’s role in international terrorism:
“In regard to whether or not Iran continues to fund terrorist related activities or destabilizing active in the region, there’s no doubt that’s true and we’re seeing it, whether its in Syria, whether its in Lebanon and Hezbollah, whether its in Yemen with what they’re doing with the Houthi rebels.”
Senators were visibly outraged by what they were hearing. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) then addressed conflicting reports about granting Iran access to the U.S. banking system.
“I don’t think the administration is on the same page and I think there are some people who are invested in this and have developed relationships and I think are trying to bend this in a way that will benefit Iran,” he said.
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