WASHINGTON – Under a draft deal that would free five Americans, Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated Thursday that the US will grant no sanctions relief to Iran.
“In any event, in any respect, Iran will not be receiving any sanctions relief,” Blinken said when asked about the scheduled release of $6 billion in blocked Iranian cash.
“Iran’s own funds would be used and transferred to restricted accounts, so that the funds could only be used for humanitarian purposes,” he explained.
Blinken stated that the US has been in contact with the families of five Americans who have been sent from prison to house arrest as a first step toward their release.
“My belief is that this is the beginning of the end of their nightmare, and the nightmare that their families have experienced,” he said.
Blinken stated that he was unaware of any other Americans being held in Iran.
