Many of the articles surrounding the atrocities of the Hamas attacks this past weekend have referenced the recent $6 billion “deal,” in which the U.S. gave this money to Iran in exchange for five Americans. It already seemed like the worst trade in history.
But it’s more nefarious than simply unleashing $6 billion to Iran, a known terrorist state and the most existential threat to the free world. In reality, this one detail hyperlinked quickly in most articles is part of a larger spider web of hidden details.
In a recent article, senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former National Security Council official Richard Goldberg traces the money trail. He confirms: It is so much worse than we think.
Goldberg lays out the numbers. The $6 billion you’ve seen in every (other) headline is only the money being transferred from our friends in Qatar. But this is separate from the $10 billion of assets being transferred from Iraq, which Goldberg says will continue on “a rolling basis.” Then there are the reports that Iran will be allowed to access $7 billion in fiat currency by trading drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund. He also says Japan is scheduled to transfer $3 billion to Iran.
“Money is fungible,” and even the funds that have not yet been unfrozen are likely being treated as good credit in Iran’s ledger.
The revelations do not end there. U.S. officials have also quietly acknowledged that they’ve uncapped Iranian oil exports to China. These export levels, previously held around 775,000 barrels per day under Trump’s sanctions, are now estimated to be between 1.4 and 2.2 million barrels per day. Modest estimates value this relief at $25 billion annually.
The total? $50 billion.
It’s giving a thug a loaded machine gun and expecting him not to shoot the bullets.
Less than a decade ago, the spokesman of the Izzuddin Al-Qassam Brigades publicly thanked Iran for providing the “weapons, money, and other equipment” used in attacks. Although there has been no public “thank you” to Iran from Hamas in relation to the surprise attack on Israel this past weekend, it is clear that Iran did help plan the attack. It is unlikely they stopped there. But of course, the Biden administration is hesitant to confirm this — with Republicans already alleging the White House’s ties to the attacks, they would like to avoid any evidence that confirms what most of the world suspects.
This is peeling back what is only the first layer of deception in the Biden administration’s policies.
Top U.S. Officials Directly Supporting Iran’s Interests
We know Iran has already ejected international nuclear inspectors and are on their way to building a facility that is believed to be so deep underground that it would be impenetrable to any air strikes. Iran did not even have to stop their production of high-enriched uranium. They’re merely producing it at a slower rate. But the Biden administration chose to pick up the Obama era’s decision to unrestrain Iran based on a pinky promise.
Most recently, we learned that top officials were influencing the U.S. government in favor of Iranian nuclear power. A series of recently leaked emails have focused on Ariane Tabatabai, the chief of staff to the secretary of defense for special operations. Messages show her involvement with the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI), a direct Iranian government initiative to allegedly “improve the country’s image abroad.”
It would seem the mandate of improving the country’s “image” included influencing the U.S. government to give Tehran more flexibility in expanding uranium enrichment. That’s very different from the fruit and art exchanges you might have expected. But it does clarify the quiet suspension of the Biden administration’s lead Iran negotiator Robert Malley, which was previously unexplained. We’ve also come to learn of other aides who were directly corresponding with the Iranian government from their U.S. government posts, such as Ali Vaez and Dina Esfandiary.
Iran has never hidden its motivations. Even in the past, Iranian lawmakers proudly chanted “Death to America” and posted it on the news. They have always told us exactly who they are, and we still made a deal with the devil.
Meanwhile, Iran recently launched yet another imaging satellite, which is assumed to be part of their ballistic missile program. (Nuclear warheads don’t fly themselves — they are placed on ballistic missiles that carry them to their targets.) This goes against UN Security Council resolutions that are set to expire on Oct. 18.
Biden Admin Trades Energy Independence for Unstable Middle East
It all becomes even more egregious when inspected within the context of the Biden administration’s foreign and domestic policies.
We’re stopping oil production in America while allowing Iran to export more, all under the facade of “green energy.” The administration has given the green light to increase oil production in the country that is the greatest existential threat to the free world. Meanwhile, Biden has choked American oil production with the fewest number of offshore oil and gas leases “in history.” This is after Biden canceled all remaining leases in Alaska. But since these leases are for 2024 to 2029, he’s pushed off Americans truly feeling this at the pump until, quite conveniently, after the election.
Squeezing the American wallet is far from the most dire consequence of this policy. Biden has drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) to multi-decade lows. Despite claims that they would be replenishing the reserves, the administration has not only yet to refill the reserves, they even pulled an offer at the end of this summer because of “market conditions.” Namely, oil is already too expensive, and we are drained of our most important backup resource.
In parallel, the Biden admin has been actively working to cut the legs off a Saudi-Israel deal. After all, why would we want to encourage stability in the Middle East?
Israel and Saudi Arabia have quietly been building diplomatic relations since the Abraham Accords, exchanging leaders and experts on various issues — and all without touching the Palestinian topic. In fact, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with Fox News several weeks ago, refused to make demands from Israel on the Palestinian issue and simply stated his expectation was merely that Israel “improved the lives of Palestinians.” But now the Biden administration has thrown a wet blanket on the entire deal, insisting on numerous concessions to Palestinians.
Israel is likely to carry out the dirty work of an actual operation to stop Iranian nuclear aspirations. Saudi Arabia was there to get the Arab world in line for when they do. We can presume the only reason the U.S. was brought to the table was to serve as the brass backup.
The talks well underway came to an impasse as “close sources” began leaking frustrations from both the Saudi and Israeli sides. While these countries were working on a historic deal to prevent a nuclear Iran, Biden was playing hardball.
The surety and necessity of a large military response from Israel in Gaza has eliminated the chances of the Saudis being able to shake hands with Israel for a while. Iran will continue enriching uranium.
Again, this one specific money trail doesn’t even begin to cover the extent of insanity — it is only a small detail within the wider web of the Biden administration’s policies. To add an even more baffling layer to the mix, Iran is a country that beats and jails women if their hair shows too much from under their hijabs, and in which homosexual activity can lead to the death penalty. Biden’s submission to Iran is directly at odds with the “values” the political left claims to champion.
At this point, America has not simply left the world stage — it is funding terror.
The extent of this hidden money trail has yet to be fully realized. It isn’t only Gaza. It’s Lebanon. It’s Syria. It’s Iraq. It’s Afghanistan. It will be Paris and London. It is likely pouring over the U.S. southern border.
And it’s coming to a neighborhood near you.
Arynne Wexler is a blue state refugee enjoying her freedom in South Florida.
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