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Washington, D.C. – Last week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) was joined by 19 lawmakers in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to permanently freeze the $6 billion covered under the administration’s hostage deal with Iran last month. The lawmakers pressed the need to ensure the funds remain out of reach to the regime, particularly in light of its ongoing support to terrorist groups and proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Additionally, the lawmakers underscored concerns that payments like this only incentivizes more hostage taking by Iran and other malign actors.

“Money is fungible. We were previously alarmed by Iranian President Raisi bragging to the world that Iran would spend the $6 billion ‘wherever we need it,’ particularly given Iran’s ability and willingness to evade U.S. sanctions, including through fraudulent humanitarian transactions,” the lawmakers wrote. “Giving the regime access to funds in any form frees up money for Iran to spend on malign activities, including support for terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”

“We urge you to immediately use all tools available to permanently ensure that none of these funds can be used by Iran or for the benefit of Iran, and to fully enforce all sanctions against the regime. This would prove that hostage-taking does not pay and ensure the U.S. is taking every possible action to prevent any further Iranian support to Hamas and other terrorist groups and proxies,” the lawmakers added.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear President Biden,

Hamas’ gruesome terrorist rampage has started a war with one of our closest allies, resulting in the barbaric murder of over 1,300 people, including at least 27 Americans, with bodies still being counted as we write this letter. Disturbingly, Hamas has taken over 130 hostages.

We are horrified by Hamas’ brutal war on Israel. Following this assault, we write to urge you to take all available action to ensure the $6 billion in Iranian funds currently held in Qatar remains permanently off limits to the Iranian regime. According to your Administration, the $6 billion transferred earlier this year remains in Qatar and has not yet been spent. We implore you to ensure the money cannot be touched by Iran, under any circumstances.

Money is fungible. We were previously alarmed by Iranian President Raisi bragging to the world that Iran would spend the $6 billion “wherever we need it,” particularly given Iran’s ability and willingness to evade U.S. sanctions, including through fraudulent humanitarian transactions.

Giving the regime access to funds in any form frees up money for Iran to spend on malign activities, including support for terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Unclassified U.S. government assessments state that Iran has historically provided up to $100 million annually in combined support to Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas. On October 10, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated, “Iran is complicit in this attack in a broad sense because they have provided the lion’s share of the funding for the military wing of Hamas, they have provided training, they have provided capabilities, they have provided support, and they have had engagement and contact with Hamas over years and years.”

We urge you to immediately use all tools available to permanently ensure that none of these funds can be used by Iran or for the benefit of Iran, and to fully enforce all sanctions against the regime. This would prove that hostage-taking does not pay and ensure the U.S. is taking every possible action to prevent any further Iranian support to Hamas and other terrorist groups and proxies.

The entire world has been shaken by the evil that Hamas unleashed on Israel this week. This is a moment of moral clarity. After the atrocities committed this week, the only appropriate action is to cut off all financial avenues currently available to Hamas’ benefactor Iran.

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