From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 29, 2020
US proceeds from Iranian fuel it sold to aid terror victims
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe Trump administration plans to use proceeds from the sale of fuel confiscated from Iranian tankers to benefit victims of terrorism, officials announced Thursday.
The US military in August seized 1.1 million barrels of fuel from four Iranian tankers bound for Venezuela. The fuel has since been sold, and officials say the proceeds will go to a special fund for victims of state-sponsored terrorism.
The money “will now go to a far better use than either regime, Iran or Venezuela, could have envisioned because it will provide relief for victims of terrorism rather than the perpetrators of such acts,” says Elliott Abrams, the State Department’s special representative for Iran and Venezuela.
“So that is both poetic and tangible justice,” he adds.
The US estimates that it will be able to recoup some $40 million from the sale, says Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for the District of Columbia.
A separate forfeiture complaint from the Justice Department centers on Iranian missiles that were seized from flagless vessels in November and February. Officials say the cargo was intended for militant groups in Yemen.
In addition to the forfeiture complaints, the administration also announced sanctions against multiple petroleum companies in Iran.
— AP
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