Free Republic

After it was reported on Thursday that Iran had transferred five Iranian Americans from prison to house arrest, it became clear that a deal between the Biden administration and the radical Islamist state had been reached — which would include billions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets in exchange for the Americans.This again raises the question — which we’ll tackle later in the article: Should the United States pay ransom to rogue states and others for the release of captured Americans?Anyway, sure enough, the United States and Iran have reached an agreement in which the Islamist regime will free the...

If true, this makes Iran-contra look like a bake sale in comparison. From Ynet: Human currency? The Palestinian Maan news agency reported Thursday that the United States has agreed to sell Egypt several F-16 fighter jets in order to facilitate the release of Israeli-American Ilan Grapel. Israel had opposed similar sales in the past. Maan quoted General Sameh Sayf al-Yazal as saying that Washington was instrumental in negotiation the 27-year-old’s release, and helped Egypt “get the best possible deal for Grapel’s release.” Grapel, who at some point faced charges of espionage, sedition and attempted arson, will be debriefed by defense...

Under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who came to power in 1941, Iran was a close ally of the United States. Since the shah was toppled in the 1979 Iranian revolution, the two countries have been bitter enemies. Following is a chronology of their relations: - April 1951: Mohammed Mossadegh is elected prime minister and nationalizes oil interests. In June 1953, the Eisenhower administration approves a British proposal for a joint Anglo-American operation, code-named Operation Ajax, to overthrow Mossadegh. His toppling becomes a long-standing source of resentment among Iranians toward the U.S. - 1970: Iran signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. -...