$400 MILLION IN EUROS AND SWISS FRANCS FROM A SWISS BANK?

In January, the Iranians released four American hostages on the very day they received $400 million in cash from the United States. The payment was not in dollars, but in euros and Swiss francs withdrawn from a Swiss bank.

President Obama insists we did not pay a ransom for the release of Americans held by Iran. The money transfer just happened to coincide with the release of the hostages. Obama reiterated Thursday that “We do not pay ransom for hostages.” He said the $400 million was owed to Iran because that was paid to the U.S. by the Shah in a weapons deal that was cancelled after the Iranian Revolution.

Obama explained that “We could not send them a check. And we could not wire the money. And it is not at all clear to me why it is that cash, as opposed to a check or a wire transfer, has made this into a story. It may be because it kind of feels like some spy novel or, you know, some crime novel, because cash was exchanged.”

The Obama administration said the $400 million was paid in foreign currency because any transaction with Iran in U.S. dollars is illegal under U.S. law.

Now I’ve got some beachfront property in Phoenix that I’ll sell you for a real good price if you believe the $400 million payment in euros and Swiss francs from a Swiss bank was not a ransom payment for the release of four Americans held by Iran.