On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Early Start,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) responded to a question on whether Iran helped facilitate the Hamas attacks on Israel because it knew it would receive $6 billion in assets that were unfrozen under a prisoner swap agreement brokered by the Biden administration by stating that “I don’t think that is financing this crisis. And I think those who are saying so are not being truthful.” And it’s “regrettable” that people are “attacking our president in this moment, blaming him for inciting this incident.”
Host Kasie Hunt asked, “I want to ask you, the Biden administration sent an incredibly large amount of money to Iran in the course of hostage negotiations. Do you think, in hindsight, that’s going to be looked at as a mistake?”
Coons responded, “Kasie, it’s important to be accurate. They did not send an incredibly large amount of money directly to Iran.”
Hunt then cut in to say, “Well, they sent it to Qatar to be on path.”
Coons then stated, “They sent it to Qatar to be released only for humanitarian purposes. And those funds have not yet been released at all for humanitarian purposes. So, those who are busy on the Internet blaming our president for helping fund or facilitate this attack are not being truthful. It is something that has raised a lot of concerns. But it’s important for us to be truthful, that these were frozen Iranian assets that are not in Iran and are being held in Qatar and to be released only for humanitarian purposes.”
Hunt then asked, “And you don’t think they saw that and are counting on it in the context of this crisis?”
Coons answered, “I don’t think that is financing this crisis. And I think those who are saying so are not being truthful. I also, frankly, think it is regrettable that some of those running for president, and some of those I serve with have been directly criticizing and attacking our president in this moment, blaming him for inciting this incident. I think we should all find a moment to come together and to say that we can confirm ambassadors, that we can provide financial support to Israel, and that we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel in this key moment of national distress, and that we can find a path forward to support our common purpose in Ukraine, in Israel, and throughout the world.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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