The funds were moved to Qatari accounts as part of a broad deal to secure the release of five Americans whom the US deemed had been wrongfully detained in Iran.
There were bipartisan calls to freeze the funds in the wake of the deadly Hamas attacks in Israel this weekend.
Still, the “quiet understanding” not to move the money right now appears to be largely symbolic, given the strict restrictions that were already tied to the funds.
Blinken did not confirm that “a quiet understanding” had been reached but made clear the US is able to freeze the funds.
The process for Iran to be able to spend the funds was expected to take months, if not years.
Persons:
Wally Adeyemo, Adeyemo, Antony Blinken, Blinken, ”, ” Blinken, John Kirby, “ It’s, “, we’ve, Saturday’s, CNN’s Jim Sciutto, Max
Organizations:
CNN, Saturday, Democrats, Administration, National Security Council, White, State Department
Locations:
United States, Qatar, Iran, Israel, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Qatari