#shorts On 9/13/2023, a reporter asked, “I know that you dispute that this is a ransom payment. Obviously, many critics of this agreement say that it is just that. So, in effect, they suggest it’s $1 billion por Ameri- — per American individual being released. So, how is this not incentivizing bad actors and rogue regime- — regimes like Iran in the future to detain more Americans?

MR. KIRBY: Bad actors like Iran and like Mr. Putin in Russia don’t need any incentive … and that’s what we’re focused on.

Reporter: But for clarity, isn’t — why isn’t it a ransom payment? I get that it’s not American taxpayer dollars, but it’s still $5 billion that had been frozen that was not available for use in any form by the Iranians. That $5 billion may be for humanitarian aid, but then it frees up $5 billion elsewhere to spend. So, how is that —

MR. KIRBY: Yeah —
Reporter: — not ransom payment?

MR. KIRBY: … It’s not a blank check. They don’t get to spend it any way they want. It’s not $6 billion all at once. They will have to make a request for withdrawals … your second part of your question: “Well, won’t this just free up funds for them to continue to do bad behavior?” (Laughs.) They’ve been — they’ve been participating in bad behavior for a long, long time.

other clips of this published longer video is here: https://youtu.be/AN8xzI1ICUI
John Kirby Insists Biden Freeing Up $6B For Iran In Prisoner Swap Isn’t Incentivizing Bad Actors