Turns Out Obama Actually Paid $1.7 Billion In Ransom For U.S. Sailors

“They said the payments needed to be viewed in the political context. First the Iranian nuclear deal was going through, second the Iranian economy was in a difficult state and third the Iranians were in need of foreign currency,” one source said.

When pressed to say who requested the cash, the briefers could not remember, the source said.

State Dept. reverses course

The Obama administration originally denied the $400 million payment disclosed  earlier this summer had anything to do with the hostages, even though it was delivered by plane the same day as their release.But as pressure mounted for an explanation, the State Department reversed course last month and admitted the payment was timed as “leverage” to get the hostages out of Iran.The briefing Tuesday was to staff of the House national security  committee plus House leaders.

The $1.7 billion total involved $400 million in long-disputed cash that were frozen in a trust fund years ago and $1.3 billion in interest payments, according to one source.

While the total mount the U.S. might eventually pay was generally known, the fact that all of it was paid around the release of the hostages and in cash moved through Swiss banks surprised congressional staff, the source said. source