September saw the United States unfreeze $6 billion dollars worth of assets as part of an agreement with Iran to release five American hostages.
However, even some Democrats are demanding that President Joe Biden reseize the funds after the Iranian-back terror group Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis and kidnapped roughly 200 others.
According to Breitbart, multiple Senate Democrats have joined their GOP colleagues and signed on to a letter demanding that the U.S. block the release of Iranian funds.
They include Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Sen. Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Also affixing her name to the letter was Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who became an independent late last year but continues to caucus with Democrats.
The letter was written by Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who said the U.S. must "ensure that Iran is not in a position to continue funding Hamas’ terrorist activities in Israel and throughout the Middle East."
"On October 7, Israel experienced the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. This is not a time for any of us to stay silent," Breitbart quoted Blackburn as stating during a press conference.
"We know that Iran bankrolls Hamas, and yet it is perplexing why this administration refuses to issue a formal decision to freeze the $6 billion. We need to ensure that not another dollar goes to Iran," she added.
Blackburn reiterated that message during an interview with Fox News, saying, "The money should be refrozen and the waivers that allowed the transfer to take place from South Korean banks to Qatar banks need to be rescinded."
Biden must officially freeze the $6 billion ransom payment to Iran and reinstitute sanctions.
Sending Iran cash means funding Hamas and Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/bEW9yVpnn5
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 18, 2023
In addition to calling for Iran's assets to be refrozen, Blackburn also told Fox Business host Larry Kudlow on Tuesday that America should cut off funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
"Hamas is getting the money," Blackburn complained. "We know from the relief agency that they have that $730 billion that has gone in there."
"This agency has hired Hamas-affiliated individuals. We know that Hamas has stolen that money. We know that they have hidden weaponry in the facilities of this agency that are located there in Gaza," she added.
.@UNRWA teaches Palestinian children to hate Jews, and funding to the organization ends up in the hands of Hamas.
That is why I am introducing legislation to defund this antisemitic group. pic.twitter.com/Sfp6jC1Nx3
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 18, 2023
Earlier this year, The Washington Free Beacon published State Department documents it obtained which acknowledged that "there is a high risk Hamas could potentially derive indirect, unintentional benefit from U.S. assistance to Gaza."
