US and Qatar Strike Deal to Block Iran's Access to $6 Billion in Unfrozen Funds
The US and Qatar have reached an agreement to not allow Iran access to $6 billion in funds that were recently unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap between the US and Iran. While the funds will not be fully refrozen, Qatar will not process any request from Iran to access the money for now. The $6 billion was unfrozen in exchange for Iran releasing five Americans who had been detained. However, the funds had not yet been spent by Iran and could only be used for humanitarian purposes according to the US. The decision to halt Qatar from allowing Iran access to the funds follows the massive attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel last weekend. Although Iran is the main financial backer of Hamas, the US has said it does not have evidence yet that Iran directly played a role in the Hamas attacks.
Transcript
00:00 It's Benzinga and here's what's on the block.
00:02 The US and Qatar have reached an agreement to not allow Iran access to $6 billion in
00:07 funds that were recently unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap between the US and Iran.
00:13 While the funds will not be fully re-frozen, Qatar will not process any requests from Iran
00:17 to access the money for now.
00:19 The $6 billion was unfrozen in exchange for Iran releasing five Americans that had been
00:24 detained.
00:25 However, the funds had not yet been spent by Iran and could only be used for humanitarian
00:30 purposes according to the US.
00:33 The decision to halt Qatar in allowing Iran access to the funds follows the massive attacks
00:37 carried out by Hamas in Israel last weekend.
00:40 Although Iran is the main financial backer of Hamas, the US has said it does not have
00:45 evidence yet that Iran directly played a role in the Hamas attacks.
00:48 For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
00:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]