Lawmakers Seek Spending Details Under Iran Sanctions Waiver
Four House subcommittee chairmen have asked the Biden administration to describe how Iran has spent money that was made available to the country through a recent U.S. sanctions waiver.
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In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the lawmakers requested details on the humanitarian transactions that have been facilitated by the November waiver, which allowed $10 billion in Iraqi payments for Iranian electricity to be placed in escrow accounts in Oman. The lawmakers asked for the monetary value of each transaction, the goods purchased, and whether any issues have been identified with the transactions.
Elizabeth Rosenberg, the former assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes before leaving in February (see 2402270017), said in December that two humanitarian transactions had been facilitated by the $10 billion fund (see 2312140056). The lawmakers want to know if additional transactions have been processed since then.
The lawmakers said that while the sanctions waiver will expire in the coming weeks, the administration is expected to renew it, even though they oppose it because of Iran’s continued support for terrorist groups.
The letter is dated March 11 and was publicly released March 13. It calls for a response by March 22.
The letter was signed by Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations; Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability; Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions; and Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
The Treasury and State departments didn't respond to a request for comment.