WASHINGTON: The White House on Wednesday denied renewed accusations that it paid Iran ransom for the release of four American prisoners, parrying a tidal wave of condemnations from Republicans.
Amid revelations that the US helped airlift $400 million worth of Swiss francs and euros to Iran after a prisoner release, the White House insisted the two were not linked.
In January, five American prisoners were released as Washington granted clemency to seven Iranians and withdrew arrest warrants for 14 others.
Within hours President Barack Obama announced he had also agreed to repay $1.7 billion owed to Tehran -- one of a string of agreements that followed a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program.
The White House said it was returning cash from a 1970s Iranian military order that was not fulfilled because of the Islamic Revolution.
On Tuesday the Wall Street Journal reported a chunk of that cash was loaded on wooden pallets and secretly airlifted to Iran in an unmarked cargo plane.
"This $400 million is actually money that the Iranians had paid into a US account in 1979 as part of a transaction to procure military equipment," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
Explaining the airlift, Earnest said "the fact of the matter is the United States does not have a banking relationship with Iran."
Earnest heatedly denied accusations that a ransom was paid.
"It is against the policy of the United States to pay ransom for hostages."
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