The Treasury Department has admitted that funds sent to Iran are used to fund violent activities of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps instead of being used for humanitarian aid for the Iranian people. Senator Tim Scott is demanding answers from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen after Deputy Secretary Adewale Adeyemo testified about Iran’s use of humanitarian aid before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Adeyemo stated that the Iranian regime puts the IRGC first and fails to provide for their people, ensuring that any dollar they receive will go towards violent activities before helping their citizens. Scott sent a letter to Yellen expressing serious concerns about U.S.-enabled efforts that increase Iran’s access to sanctioned funds and how these funds support terror proxies in the Middle East.
Under Janet Yellen’s watch, Iran has increased its oil exports to China, leading to billions in additional revenue for the regime that will likely fund violent terror activities. Scott believes that any money given to Iran risks putting U.S. servicemembers in harm’s way and threatening U.S. allies like Israel. He is requesting an accounting of all international high-value Iranian assets blocked by U.S. sanctions and steps the Treasury Department will take to actively monitor funds released to Iran. Scott insists that no funds sanctioned by the United States should ever be released to Iran given the terrorism support.
The Treasury Department clarified that there are two types of funds regarding Iran – humanitarian aid held outside of Iran in financial institutions that would be sent into the country by third parties and money already inside Iran. Adeyemo explained that the humanitarian money is not accessible by Iran and will not be used for violent purposes. However, he acknowledged that Iran prioritizes funding the IRGC over helping its people when it comes to money already inside the country. Senator Mark Warner questioned Adeyemo about using humanitarian funds already held in Iran, to which Adeyemo clarified that none of those dollars have been or will be transferred to Iran.
Overall, the testimony by Deputy Secretary Adewale Adeyemo revealed the Iranian regime’s prioritization of funding violent activities over aiding its citizens, despite receiving humanitarian aid from outside sources. Senator Tim Scott is pressing for accountability from the Treasury Department to ensure that U.S. sanctioned funds do not contribute to terrorism. While the Treasury Department distinguishes between humanitarian aid and funds inside Iran, concerns remain about the regime’s use of money for violent purposes. The situation underscores the complex challenges of providing aid and preventing funds from supporting terrorism in volatile regions like Iran. Clear oversight and monitoring mechanisms are essential to safeguard against misuse of funds and protect national security interests.
