It has been forty-four years with no diplomatic relations between Iran and the U.S., leading to many problems and international tensions. This past week has completely broken the boundary created by the countries.
Monday, September 18th, America participated in a prisoner swap with Iran, freeing five Iranians from U.S. custody in return for five American prisoners. Unexpectedly this happy story has created controversy with congressional republicans. They were less concerned with the reunited families and more concerned with the money part of the deal.
While Iran just had to give back the f
ive prisoners, America gave back the prisoners and unfroze $6 billion dollars’ worth of oil revenues, money that had belonged to the Iranians, but America had been holding. The US claims that the funds will be strictly regulated, but Iran has counted that declaring it is their money, and they will spend it how the wish.
Although this has created outrage within the Republican right wing, who claim the “no paying ransoms” policy has been demolished, others think this is a huge steppingstone towards cooperation from Iran. While it does mean that the U.S is just giving into Iran’s demands, America could use this to build a relationship with Iran and use it to our advantage.
