On Wednesday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) stated that even though none of the $6 billion in Iranian assets that were unfrozen under a prisoner swap has moved yet, it should be frozen no matter what the money will be used for.
Co-host Sara Sidner asked, “I am curious what you think of, there’s been a lot of discussion of the $6 billion that was unfrozen, that was Iran’s oil money that was unfrozen for humanitarian purposes. Do you think, at this point in time, knowing what the U.S. knows, and for their past involvement with these groups, that they should completely cut that off, no matter what it was going to be used for?”
Moskowitz answered, “Yes. Let me say a couple of things: So, my district, and when I was in the State House in Florida, represented the family of Bob Levinson, who the Iranians took hostage and, unfortunately, died in their hands. So, I believe the United States needs to do everything it can to get back American hostages at all points in time. I was against the $6 billion being a part of that deal. And what I would say, to make it clear, is that none of that money has left the fund that it is currently in that Qatar is involved in. So, none of that money has moved at all. As far as whether it should move, I think without having a specific policy that that money is frozen, my guess is that money is going nowhere under the current situation.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett