The High Price of Biden’s Ransom Payment to Iran

This article originally appeared in American Greatness on September 29, 2023. 

Earlier this month, five previously imprisoned Americans left Iran as part of a prisoner swap agreement under which the U.S. released five Iranians from prison or dropped charges against them. Iran also received a $6 billion payment as part of this deal.

Although Biden Administration critics welcomed the release of the American prisoners, many criticized the $6 billion payment to release the American hostages because they claimed this was a ransom payment.

Biden officials vehemently denied this characterization, arguing the United States did not pay Iran anything because the $6 billion was Iranian funds released from a South Korean bank. Because this was Iran’s money, Biden Administration officials argued this could not be called a ransom payment.

Read full op-ed in American Greatness.