Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Tom Cotton will seek to pass legislation by unanimous consent next week to block the release of $6 billion in Iranian assets by President Biden.
The Republicans said the funds, which remain frozen but are set to be issued as part of a September prisoner swap with Iran for the release of five wrongly detained Americans, emboldened Hamas’ attack against Israel and Iran’s support of such terrorism.
“It enabled cold-blooded killers like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to perpetrate the deadliest day of violence against Jews in decades,” said Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican. “The civilized world must re-impose serious consequences on the regime that aids and abets murderous evil against innocent Israelis.”
Mr. Cotton, Arkansas Republican, said the agreement “immediately freed up other money for the regime to fund its attacks in Israel.”
“Iran is the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism,” he said. “In addition to funding Hamas’s devastating terrorist attacks against Israel, the regime’s proxies have attacked dozens of American targets in the region in recent years.”
The bill’s fate in the Democratic-led chamber is uncertain. While a small but growing number of Senate Democrats, particularly those facing tough reelections next year, agree that the $6 billion should remain sanctioned, any one member will have the power to block unanimous passage next week when the Senate returns to Washington.
The Biden administration says Iran is “complicit in this attack in a broad sense” but hasn’t reversed course on the funds. Officials defend the decision to secure the release of Americans and insist the assets will be used for humanitarian aid.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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