Five Americans who have been held hostage in Iran are currently being released, along with their spouses. Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, and Emad Shargi, who have all spent years in Evin Prison, are among those being freed. This brings the total number of wrongfully detained Americans brought home under President Biden to 35, demonstrating the high priority the White House has placed on freeing unjustly imprisoned citizens. However, two more U.S. residents, Shahab Dalili and Jamshid Sharmahd, remain imprisoned in Iran.
In exchange for the release of these hostages, the United States will release five Iranian citizens who have either been sentenced or are facing pending trials. Additionally, South Korea will transfer $6 billion owed to Iran for the purchase of crude oil to banks in Qatar. Some critics have labeled this transaction as a ransom payment, but the reality is more complex.
To understand the details of this deal, I spoke with Brett McGurk, the National Security Council’s coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, who conducted the secret negotiations that led to my own release in 2016. McGurk explains that the Biden administration weighed the decision to make a deal with Iran by considering the dire situation the hostages were in and the potential for them to face years or even decades of imprisonment in Evin Prison. Ultimately, the president made the difficult decision to move forward with the deal.
Critics of the deal are concerned about Iran being paid to release the hostages, even if the money is coming from South Korea. McGurk clarifies that these funds are not frozen assets but rather funds that South Korea had deposited into Iranian accounts for the purchase of Iranian oil during past administrations. Under U.S. sanctions regulations, these funds are legally available for certain forms of bilateral and humanitarian trade. As part of the deal, the funds will be transferred from South Korea to a bank in Qatar and used exclusively for limited humanitarian trade purposes such as food, medicine, and agricultural products. There will be no funds going directly to Iran.
McGurk addresses the claim that the Trump administration was able to secure the release of U.S. citizens without offering concessions. He points out that no dual citizens were released during the last administration, whereas this deal involves the release of five dual citizens and two of their family members. He also notes that trades were made for the release of American citizens under the previous administration, all while Iran was benefiting from funds in similar accounts to those being moved to Doha in this current deal.
In response to the concern that deals like these embolden Iran, McGurk highlights the actions the Biden administration has taken to deter Iran’s aggression in the region. He mentions the airstrikes ordered against groups attacking U.S. troops, as well as the issuance of new sanctions and increased military presence in the Gulf. The administration has also built international coalitions to isolate Iran in international forums. McGurk reassures that the U.S. is fully prepared to respond to any attacks, should they occur.
Regarding the timing of the deal and the protests surrounding the killing of Mahsa Amini, McGurk states that this deal was not linked to nuclear diplomacy but negotiated separately in Doha. However, he emphasizes that the Biden administration has made it clear to Iran that diplomacy cannot progress if American citizens are being wrongfully detained. Additionally, he asserts that Iran’s escalation of conflicts in the region and involvement in supplying drones for Russia’s war on Ukraine make meaningful diplomacy challenging. The nuclear talks have stalled, and while the U.S. is open to diplomacy, they are also prepared for any potential contingencies with respect to Iran’s nuclear program. This deal does not change the adversarial relationship between the U.S. and Iran, and the U.S. will continue to hold Iran accountable through sanctions and other measures.
When asked if there is hope for Iran to stop taking hostages, McGurk responds with a definite no under the current system. However, he affirms that efforts will continue to deter Iran’s abduction of foreign nationals, including the issuing of new sanctions. He advises against traveling to Iran to ensure individuals are not taken into custody, and the U.S. is prepared to work with Congress to further discourage American passport holders from visiting the country.
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