Obama Admin Signed Secret Doc to Lift UN Sanctions on Iran Banks
Report: Obama Admin Signed Secret Document to Lift U.N. Sanctions on Iranian Banks
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September 30, 2016 1:23 pm
Source: Obama Admin Signed Secret Doc to Lift UN Sanctions on Iran Banks
The Obama administration signed a secret document to lift United Nations sanctions on two Iranian state banks that were previously blacklisted for their involvement in financing Iran’s ballistic-missile program the same day Tehran released four American prisoners, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Based on the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, the two banks were initially under sanctions until 2023, but the administration agreed to delist the entities on Jan. 17. Senior U.S. officials told the Journal that State Department official Brett McGurk and an Iranian government representative met in Geneva and signed three documents that day.
One document committed the U.S. to dropping criminal charges against 21 Iranian nationals, and Tehran to releasing the Americans imprisoned in Iran.
Another committed the U.S. to immediately transfer $400 million in cash to the Iranian regime and arrange the delivery within weeks of two subsequent cash payments totaling $1.3 billion to settle a decades-old legal dispute over a failed arms deal.
The U.S. agreed in a third document to support the immediate delisting of the two Iranian banks, according to senior U.S. officials. In the hours after the documents were signed at a Swiss hotel, the different elements of the agreement went forward: The Americans were released, Iran took possession of the $400 million in cash, and the U.N. Security Council removed sanctions on Bank Sepah and Bank Sepah International, these officials said.
In February, a documentary by Iranian media outlet Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed that Iranian government officials demanded that Bank Sepah be delisted from U.N. sanctions as part of the deal to release four Americans. Despite previous sanctions on the bank by the Treasury Department, the Obama administration agreed to lift the sanctions under the nuclear deal reached in July 2015.
After the nuclear accord was inked, senior officials said they continued to have dialogue with Iran about the two banks before the three documents were officially signed in January. Tehran argued that Bank Sepah and Bank Sepah International were critical to international trade and their economy, the Journal reported.
Bank Sepah is Iran’s oldest bank and one of its three largest in terms of assets. Bank Sepah International, based in London, was key to financing Iran’s international trade before sanctions were imposed.
The U.S. Treasury was vehemently opposed to the banks back in 2007 for their alleged role in financially backing Iran’s missile program.
At the time, the Treasury said that Bank Sepah and Bank Sepah International had provided financial support to Iranian-state owned companies and organizations developing Iran’s missile program. These included Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization and the Shahid Hemmat Industries Group.
“Bank Sepah is the financial linchpin of Iran’s missile procurement network and has actively assisted Iran’s pursuit of missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction,” the Treasury said in a January 2007 statement.
Since the nuclear agreement was reached in July 2015, Iran has conducted up to 10 ballistic missile tests. The U.N. has been critical of these launches but has not imposed any new sanctions.
Senior Pentagon officials are upset about the prisoner deal, the Journal noted, despite U.S. officials saying the Obama administration closely vetted all entities and people associated with Bank Sepah before they agreed to the lifting of sanctions.
The dispute in Washington has only deepened in recent weeks, as senior Pentagon officials, including Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, told Congress in a hearing that they weren’t notified by the White House about the cash transfer. The chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, Marine Gen. Joe Dunford, said at a hearing last week that he found it “troubling” that the U.S. provided Tehran with so much cash, which he argued could be used for “spreading malign influence.”
The Obama administration has repeatedly denied accusations that it sent $1.7 billion to Tehran to secure the release of four American prisoners. Many lawmakers have called the money transfer a ransom payment. A majority of lawmakers supported legislation last week that would legally ban the Obama administration from sending more cash payments to Tehran.
The Washington Free Beacon previously reported on House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) praising the legislation.
Explore posts in the same categories: UncategorizedWhile the Obama administration has threatened to veto the bill, McCarthy said the majority of Congress disagrees with the administration’s decision to pay Iran $1.7 billion prior to the release earlier this year of several U.S. hostages.
“The Obama administration paid a cash ransom to Iran for American hostages,” McCarthy told the Free Beacon. “No matter how the Obama administration chooses to redefine this payment, the message to Iran is crystal clear: You will be rewarded for taking hostages—not punished.”
Tags: Iran, Iran Scam, Iranian nukes, Islam, Islamic supremacy, Islamic terrorism, Middle East, Obama, Terrorism, USA
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WarSclerotic 
September 30, 2016 at 10:55 PM
September 30, 2016 at 11:16 PM
The New Middle East by Caroline Glick
http://carolineglick.com/the-new-middle-east/
Nothing short of war will stop Putin now.
“The new strategy involves speeding up the depopulation and ETHNIC CLEANSING of rebel-held areas. The massive refugee flows from Syria over the past year are a testament to the success of the barbaric war plan. The idea is to defeat the rebel forces by to destroying the sheltering civilian populations.”
“Sunnis, who before the war comprised 75% of the population, are being targeted for death and exile. More than 4 million predominantly Sunni Syrians are living in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. More than a million have entered Europe. Millions more have been internally displaced. Assad has made clear that they will never be coming home.”
“Even Israel’s ability to permit the US access to its air bases is no longer assured. Russia has deployed air assets to Syria that have canceled Israel’s regional air superiority. Under these circumstances, in a hypothetical Russian-US confrontation, Israel may be unwilling to risk Russian retaliation for a decision to permit the US to use its air bases against Russia.”
October 1, 2016 at 12:53 AM
Over 600 More U.S. Troops Going to Iraq to Help Retake Mosul from Islamic State
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/09/30/615-us-troops-deploy-iraq-combat-islamic-state/
Must be soldiers on sneakers, no boots on the ground !
But it keeps Russia from attacking the terrorist, you can not have that USA sneaker soldiers are killed by Russians or assad troops .
Will a war solve the problems of the USA elite, a war before Trump is elected ?
And not at least you have to keep the production going on, you know, the only production left over in the USA , weapons !
https://youtu.be/QswRVdky9gU
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby threatened Moscow with terror attacks in Russian cities and even shoot downs of Russian jets if Vladimir Putin continued his fight against ISIS in Syria.
https://youtu.be/6wRXncGsktE
A Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander also recently revealed that the group, which is an Al-Qaeda offshoot, was given American-made TOW missiles and other weapons “directly” from the U.S. and its allies.
“The Americans are on our side,” he stated.
October 1, 2016 at 3:50 AM
It’s not entirely the fault of the US. Putin is still proping up his tyrant boyfriend and is willing to go to war over his love affair. Meanwhile, millions of Syrians are on the run while thousands are not so lucky. Now Israel is faced with an evil axis just across the border. Not a pretty sight. I do not trust Putin. Never did, never will.
October 1, 2016 at 6:30 AM
Harbor and influence in the region that is all for Putin no love at all .
My left hand trust not even my right hand an visa versa in politics special geo politics, trust has nothing to do whit it , only pragmatism .
Push a cat in a corner and he makes strange jumps.
is the sweetness gone from the Turkish delight for obama ?
But dear LS what give the USA the right to be in Syria or to demand assad removal, still wanna play the world police ?
Or is obama looking for a Afghanistan II , A second Charlie Wilson thing, supplying isis even with rockets , not stingers this time but modern material .
If obama and/or his ilk will control Syria, Israel will lose the Golan Height, they already lost Jerusalem according obamma .
It works out perfectly under the USA police force the last 40 years !
Really it does, look at the shinning democracy and country build up in Libya and Irak and not to forget Syria, we can not ask for more .
Was it 5 country,s in 7 year or 7 country,s in 5 year ?
Let me do the destabilizing counting.
1) the USA
2) Libya
3) Irak
4) Afghanistan
5) Europe
6) Chinese sea
7) Relations with Russia
An accomplishment worthy for a second Nobel price , do you think so LS ?
A Nobel price for initiating WW III, ain’t that nice .
Time for Trump, to clean this mess up, at least that is my hope, but i,am afraid that the forces even for trump are to big, if he ever will be president, i,am not even sure about that .
Politico: ‘World Trade Leaders Dread a Trump Presidency’
http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/09/30/politico-world-trade-leaders-dread-trump-presidency/
Ninety-Five Percent of GOP Primary Donors Turn Back on Donald Trump in General Election
http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/09/30/95-gop-primary-donors-either-stopped-giving-trump-donated-hillary/
October 1, 2016 at 2:51 PM
It takes two to tango, Joop, and Mr. Putin is all over the dance floor. But you say what gives the US the right to police the world and in the same comment you say the US should clean up the mess. Maybe that’s where US policy excels. Case in point, the first two world wars. My point still remains. No matter how evil you perceive the US to be, Mr. Putin is more threatening to world peace and Israel’s future. Let’s just hope we never have to clean up there.
October 1, 2016 at 4:44 PM
Yep clean up the mess the USA has made the last 20 years or so , back of from the front door of nearly everybody in the world
and take care of your own country , plenty of work to do.
Stop blackmailing the world with the petro dollar and so called protection .
Start producing and trading in a open normal fashion .
If the USA keep refusing this , it will end badly for the USA .
The world is fed up with it, why are you not getting it ?
Make the USA great again, healthy economy, happy people, good international relationships , gaining respect again,
becoming trustworthy again, we the people of the world will be happy with it .
Putin is threatening nobody, the USA by dirty mouth kerry ( he not alone ) is doing this , do you really want examples ?
Trump get,s it , at least that is what i think .
Do you really think Russia the biggest country in the world with only 140 million people filled with essential mineral are looking for concurring other country,s and have to control the people in these country,s ?
Russia is only protecting his existence with open access to the world market as an equal player , not overpowered by the USA as the big bully, sorry world police .
Take a map and look who is encircling Russia or trying to, and THAT is why Russia is involved in Syria .
Your patriotic blindness prevent you to see the ( new ) reality , understandable but not footed in reality .
And do you really wanna go into the financing of WW II by wall street,or even the financing by wall street of the Russian revolution , i don,t did it before here and that is enough .
You do still not get it , we the people do the dying and bleeding for wall street and some more scum .
Getting fooled by a false patriotism and enemy building.
My last words in this matter.
October 1, 2016 at 3:10 PM
I hope you understand that I’m not defending Obama and his foreign policy. I am defending our history of trying to do the right thing. No one wants to see Trump prevail more than me. That being said, don’t lose sight of the fact that the US is Israel’s top trading partner, only contributor in military aid, and ally ready stand in defense of our biggest friend in the Middle East. Mr. Putin is none of that. As you know, he’s already formed an alliance with Israel’s biggest enemies just across the border.
October 1, 2016 at 3:48 PM
I understand it perfectly , and as you must know by now i,am talking about USA foreign politics, not about we the people .
Please i do not want to go into USA / Israel relationship, there is so much to tell about it and i,am not willing to go there now or again,did that here before and that was enough, but read up a bit about it .
That alliance has nothing to do with Israel but all to do with geo politics , Israel have a good relation ship with Russia, but is catch between a rock and a hard place .
Hezbollah is NOT an ally of Russia , and for Russia goes the same as for the USA , Russia first , the whole world will be a better place if we can get rid of that enemy making from Russia and start dealing with them as being a normal independent country.
And so battle in good cooperation the real enemy,s of the free world .
As i think Trump will do .
It is for Israel important that the USA economy becomes healthy again , more trade , good for both country,s
The whole world will gain if we can get a stabilized trading environment without military confrontations and economical black mail .
With military confrontation only a special sector(s) of the industry gain something, we the people are screwed and will do the bleeding .
October 1, 2016 at 8:55 PM
I stopped reading when you accused me of false patriotism. Apparently, nothing has changed with you. Maybe you should read up on what patriotism entails. I have nothing else to say. I’m done here.
October 1, 2016 at 9:10 PM
What the heck ?
I said : fooled by false patriotism .
But whatever you please LS, whatever !
By , by !
But i wish you well .
Greets JK