Breaking: US and Qatar Forge Secret Pact, Withhold $6bn Payment to Iran, Reveals Treasury Official to House Democrats

During a meeting with House Democrats, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo informed lawmakers that the United States and Qatar have agreed not to grant Iran access to the $6 billion in Iranian funds that were recently transferred to Qatari accounts. This decision comes in light of the recent Hamas attack on Israel and will remain in effect for the time being, as stated by a source present in the meeting. Adeyemo further emphasized that these funds would remain untouched for the foreseeable future, according to another congressional source.

The funds were transferred to Qatari accounts as part of a comprehensive agreement to secure the release of five Americans who were wrongly detained in Iran, according to sources in the US government. Following the recent Hamas attacks in Israel, there has been bipartisan pressure to freeze the funds.

While no direct evidence has been presented linking Iran to the attack, administration officials assert that Tehran's longstanding support for the terrorist group makes them complicit in the incident.

Despite the "quiet understanding" to refrain from transferring the money at present, it seems to hold little significance as the funds were already subject to stringent restrictions.

Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that Iran had not utilized or accessed any of the funds.

Blinken refused to confirm the existence of "a quiet understanding," but emphasized that the US has the capability to freeze the funds.

"Our oversight of the funds is rigorous, and we maintain the authority to suspend them," stated Blinken.

John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, refused to provide further details regarding any recent agreement regarding the funds.

"All of the money is still being held in the Qatari bank, every single cent," he informed reporters at the White House on Thursday. "None of the funds have been utilized, and I do not have any new information to offer."

Iran was only authorized to use the funds for designated humanitarian trade transactions, subject to close scrutiny by the US government. The spending process was anticipated to take a significant amount of time, potentially spanning several months or even years.

"With the meticulous examination required and the intricate nature of these specific humanitarian transactions, it will be a lengthy period before Iran can exhaust these funds," a senior official from the State Department informed CNN on Saturday. "Furthermore, as we have repeatedly emphasized, these funds can solely be utilized for the acquisition of food, medicine, medical devices, and agricultural products solely intended for the people of Iran. There are no exceptions."

Obtaining the funds is a challenging and time-consuming process, according to another knowledgeable source involved in the discussions.

On Wednesday, CNN reported that multiple intelligence sources revealed that senior Iranian government officials were taken aback by the attack on Saturday, based on specific intelligence collected by the US.

The intelligence has raised doubts regarding Iran's direct participation in the planning, resourcing, or approval of the operation, according to sources.

Sources emphasized that the US intelligence community has yet to arrive at a definitive conclusion regarding Tehran's direct involvement leading up to the attack. They are still searching for evidence of Iranian participation, surprising both Israel and the United States.

On Wednesday, John Kirby, the National Security Council's strategic communications coordinator, informed CNN's Jim Sciutto on Max that the United States lacks any intelligence indicating Iran's prior knowledge or involvement in the planning, resourcing, or directing of the operation.