State Department confirms $400 million payment to Iran depended on release of prisoners


The State Department confirmed Thursday that a $400 million cash payment to Iran in January hinged upon the release of American prisoners. Donald Trump originally attacked President Obama and Hillary Clinton for secretly paying a "ransom" to release the prisoners, tweeting that the incident was a "scandal!" But Obama and other top officials denied Trump's suggestion, claiming the money sent to Iran was owed from a dispute in the 1970s; prior to the State Department's announcement Thursday, the prisoner release was originally alleged to be an entirely separate event.
"We do not pay ransom for hostages," Obama said on Aug. 5, asserting that the money was the first installment of a $1.7 billion settlement and noting that his administration disclosed the deal in January and the media reported on it. "It wasn't a secret. We were completely open about it."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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