Wall Street Journal reports:

“A deal that sent $1.7 billion in U.S. funds to Iran, announced alongside the freeing of five Americans from Iranian jails, has emerged as a new flashpoint amid a claim in Tehran that the transaction amounted to a ransom payment.

The U.S. Treasury Department wired the money to Iran around the same time its theocratic government allowed three American prisoners to fly out of Tehran on Sunday aboard a Dassault Falcon jet owned by the Swiss air force.

The prisoner swap also involved freedom for two other Americans held in Iran as well as for seven Iranians charged or convicted by the U.S.

But the transaction is stirring a debate here over whether the funds were essentially a ransom paid to Iran’s leadership.

A senior Iranian military official has publicly stated that the clearing of the $1.7 billion was a key factor in Tehran’s decision to release the imprisoned Americans, most of whom were charged with espionage.”

Of course the release of the American hostages held by the Islamist fascists –“reformers” and all- is a good thing.

Of course seeing hostages like Amir the Marine, who was held for five years, going home to U.S. and being reunited with family and friends is priceless.

However, ignoring the lessons of the past 37 years of repeated hostage taking by the Islamist fascists, and/or their proxies, and paying ransom for their release needs to be address as well.

At the same time that these most expensive Iranian Americans, who essentially were ransomed for $1.7 billion plus presidential pardons for convicted Islamist fascist agents in U.S. were released, 3 Americans were taken hostage by Islamist fascist’ proxy agents in Iraq.

Something is not working and need fixing.

Sanction works, U.S. Senate, get to it.