The Obama administration admitted Thursday that a $400 million cash payment to Iran in January was contingent on the release of American prisoners being held in the country – while still denying that the payment was a ransom. However, Kirby said that the U.S. withheld the cash delivery until Iran made good on its promise to release the prisoners. “In basic English you are saying you wouldn’t give [Iran] the 400 million in cash until the prisoners were released, correct?” asked a reporter at Thursday’s State Department briefing. If a cash payment is contingent on a hostage release, it's a ransom,” said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. "Reports of link between prisoner release & payment to Iran are completely false," Kirby tweeted at the time.

Source: Fox News August 18, 2016 20:48 UTC