The United States again froze crude oil exports worth $6 billion (approximately 8 trillion won) to Iran, which is accused of being behind the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Although the circumstances surrounding Hamas’ involvement in Israel’s attack have not been revealed, it was a preemptive measure to prevent further involvement in the Middle East war. Iran warned Israel of escalation of war, saying, “If it continues to attack the Gaza Strip, a new front will open.”
According to foreign media outlets such as Bloomberg on the 12th, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo met with ruling Democratic House members that day and agreed that the U.S. and Qatari governments would freeze $6 billion (approximately 8 trillion won) deposited in Qatari banks to prevent Iran from using them. He said he did.
Last month, the United States reached a deal with Iran to exchange American prisoners and decided to provide $6 billion in Iranian crude oil export proceeds tied up in Korea to Iran through a Qatari bank on the condition that it be used only for humanitarian purposes. However, as the possibility of Iran’s support for the war increased following the rumor of ‘$6 billion inflow into Hamas’, the Joe Biden administration decided to refreeze it and put pressure on Iran.
Iran warned of possible intervention in the war despite pressure from the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian met with high-ranking Lebanese officials in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on the 12th. Representatives of Hamas and Islamist Jihad (PIJ), another Palestinian armed group, also attended the event.
According to Al Jazeera, he mentioned the possibility of an escalation of war to attendees, saying, “If (Israel’s) attacks, war crimes, and blockade measures against the Gaza Strip continue, there is a high possibility that a new front will open.” When meeting with reporters right after, he also said, “We will receive a response from the rest of the ‘axis.’” He appears to have mentioned the possibility of intervention by Lebanon’s pro-Iranian armed group Hezbollah and others.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.