In a bipartisan showing last week, more than a dozen U.S. senators called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to officially freeze $6 billion in Iranian assets following Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
While Hamas rules over the Gaza Strip, it is long had a close relationship with Iran, and since the attack, many Israelis and Americans alike have accused Iran of having been behind it. While Iran has denied this, it has cheered the attack from afar. Regardless, the lawmakers – led by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) – called for the Biden administration to officially reverse a plan to release the aforementioned $6 billion to Iran from Qatar.
That release was part of a deal to secure the release of five American prisoners held by Iran. The conditions of that deal specified the money, even if release, could be used for humanitarian purposes only. However, that plan was already on shaky ground, as the United States and Qatar have reportedly worked to withhold the funding in recent weeks, though nothing official has been stated on the matter.
“Given Iran’s history of supporting acts of terrorism through Hamas, the United States must do everything in its power in the wake of this brutal attack to ensure that Iran is not in a position to continue funding Hamas’ terrorist activities in Israel and throughout the Middle East,” wrote the senators. “As you know, the State Department’s 2021 Country Report on Terrorism found that Hamas received weapons systems and other direct support from Iran, allowing the group to carry out deadly attacks against Israel. In 2022, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, stated publicly that the terrorist organization had received $70 million in assistance from Iran that year, and that it used the money to build rockets.”
Regardless of whether Iran funded this particular incident, and helped guide the attack and resulting reprisal that have claimed the lives of hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians, the senators want it noted that Iran’s support for Hamas has sustained the terrorist group over the years. They stated that through this sustained support, Iran guaranteed it had the means to carry out the surprise attack on Israel in the first place.
“We therefore strongly urge you to make it official U.S. policy to freeze the $6 billion in Iranian assets currently held in Qatar, and continue to hold Iran accountable for its violent and destabilizing actions, including direct support of Hamas,” the senators wrote.