hankyoreh

Take-off and landing drills are carried out in October 2022 on the USS Gerald Ford, an aircraft carrier recently sent into the Eastern Mediterranean by the US to check Iran. (AP/Yonhap)

Funds sent to a Qatari bank as payment for oil from Iran following the return of five US prisoners were frozen by the US.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that the US and Qatari governments reached an agreement not to release the US$6 billion South Korea sent to Iran as payment for oil. Sanctions placed by the Donald Trump administration against Iran in 2019 initially prevented South Korea from transferring this fund. On Sept. 18, after five US prisoners were released, the US allowed the money to be transferred to a Qatari bank on the condition that it could only be used for humanitarian purposes such as purchasing food and medical supplies.

But less than a month later, the brakes were put on the fund’s withdrawal in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attack on Israel. Wally Adeyemo, the US deputy secretary of the Treasury, shared with Democratic lawmakers that these assets will not be available for withdrawal for the foreseeable future. During his visit to Israel, US State Secretary Antony Blinken also revealed that Iran hadn’t spent any of the US$6 billion.

This measure was taken following political pressure that strong sanctions be placed on Iran, which has backed Hamas for many years. Demands that proceeds from Iranian oil sales be frozen emerged from US political circles. Arguing that Iran supports terrorism by selling oil, Rep. Kevin McCarthy demanded the placement of restrictions on Iranian oil exports. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham even said the Biden administration should come up with a plan to destroy Iranian oil infrastructure with Israel.

The US has maintained that it found no evidence indicating Iran’s direct involvement in the recent attack by Hamas. On Wednesday, anonymous US government sources made statements suggesting the low likelihood of Iran’s foreknowledge of or direct involvement in Hamas’ attack, citing how Iranian leaders were taken by surprise by the offensive. Still, the US warningly pointed out how Iran has kept on supporting Hamas.

The freezing of these funds is expected to provoke the Iranian leadership. The Iranian government has been fiercely denying any relation to the attack by Hamas.

By Lee Bon-young, Washington correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]