Some Obama administration officials opposed $400 million cash shipment to Iran


On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. flew a plane carrying $400 million in cash to Iran at the same time Iran released four jailed Americans in January, and on Wednesday, The Journal said that some officials in the Justice Department objected to the timing of the payment, the first installment of a $1.7 billion settlement of a failed arms deal dating back to 1979. Republicans hammered the Obama administration on Wednesday, suggesting the payment was ransom for the Americans — which would be a violation of U.S. policy — but the White House insisted that there was absolutely no link between the payment and the prisoner exchange.
Both the prisoner swap and $1.7 billion settlement were negotiated by the State Department, and Justice Department officials did not object to either deal, considering the settlement a good deal for America, The Journal said, citing "people familiar with the discussions." But the Justice officials were reportedly concerned that delivering pallets of cash at the same time as U.S. prisoners were released would send the wrong signal to Iran, and to others who might seize American citizens. "People knew what it was going to look like, and there was concern the Iranians probably did consider it a ransom payment," one unidentified source told The Wall Street Journal. You can watch State Department spokesman John Kirby respond to questions about the payment in the video below. Peter Weber
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Hospital league tables: how does the new ranking system work?
The Explainer NHS trusts are now ranked according to six performance indicators, with leaders of low-performing facilities facing penalties
-
Quiz of The Week: 6 – 12 September
Quiz Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The week’s best photos
In Pictures A palace on fire, a shopping cart protest, and more
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants