US Allegedly Signed Secret Deal With Iran to Release Hostages in Exchange For Opening Banks

Just when you think the other shoe has dropped regarding the off-the-grid deals that were made in conjunction with the January 2016 release of American hostages by Iran, more disturbing information is revealed.

The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that "according to U.S. officials and congressional staff briefed on the deliberations," on the same day as the prisoners were released from Iran, the United States signed an agreement with the Islamic nation to lift sanctions on two state banks.

Bank Sepah and the London-based Bank Sepah International were blacklisted in early 2007 after it was alleged that they had financed Iran's ballistic missile program.

Treasury's Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Stuart Levey, said at the timethat Bank Sepah was "the financial lynchpin of Iran's missile procurement network and has actively assisted Iran's pursuit of missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction."

WSJ reports that in Geneva on January 17, 2016--the day the hostages were released, and the $400 million in cash was transferred to Iran as "leverage"--officials say that Brett McGurk, a senior State Department official, signed another not-so-public agreement, lifting sanctions on Bank Sepah and Bank Sepah International.

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