US-Iran prisoner deal: 5 Americans head home in $6bn 'controversial agreement'
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Transcript
00:00 we've done to bring so many other Americans home.
00:03 President Biden has demonstrated that he's
00:06 prepared to make tough and difficult decisions.
00:09 We continue to be determined to take whatever step is necessary
00:14 to deal with actions by Iran in a whole host of areas
00:18 that are profoundly objectionable.
00:21 Much anger, though, at the deal from Republicans in the US.
00:24 Earlier, we spoke to correspondent David Smith
00:26 in Washington.
00:29 Particular criticism today by Republicans
00:33 in the House and Senate talking about the US paying ransom
00:38 money, this being evidence of weakness
00:41 in Joe Biden's leadership, and in particular,
00:44 just raising a concern that this will incentivize
00:47 hostage-taking in the future.
00:50 Some Republicans saying, look, if you
00:52 touch a hair on the head of US citizens,
00:54 there should be a fierce response, not deal-making
00:59 like this.
01:00 I think maybe also some concerns that the US in some ways
01:04 is rewarding Iran despite its poor humanitarian record
01:10 just after the first anniversary of the crackdown
01:13 on protesters there.
01:16 And this complex diplomacy behind this,
01:19 because of course, the US does want
01:21 to restart some kind of negotiations
01:24 over Iran's nuclear ambitions after the collapse of that Iran
01:29 nuclear deal under Donald Trump a few years ago.
01:33 These prisons were seen as an obstacle to that,
01:35 so that has now been removed.
01:38 We will see the leaders of both the US and Iran at the UN
01:41 General Assembly in New York.
01:45 I think the US hoping for some sort of positive engagement,
01:48 but yes, certainly that concern among both Republicans
01:52 and some humanitarians that what has happened here
01:55 will in some ways legitimize the current Iranian regime,
02:00 and that's an obvious point of concern.