As has been noted here before, back in July 2015, BBC coverage of the P5+1 deal with Iran included assurances from some of the corporation’s senior correspondents that funds freed up by sanctions relief would be used by the Iranian regime to improve the country’s economy.
“President Rouhani was elected because people hoped that he would end Iran’s isolation and thus improve the economy. So the windfall that they will be getting eventually, which is made up of frozen revenues – oil revenues especially –around the world, ah…there are people who argue that look; that will go to try to deal with loads and loads of domestic economic problems and they’ll have trouble at home if they don’t do that. If people – the argument goes on – are celebrating in Iran about the agreement, it’s not because they’ll have more money to make trouble elsewhere in the region; it’s because things might get better at home.” Jeremy Bowen, PM, BBC Radio 4, July 14th, 2015
“In exchange it [Iran] will get a lot. It will get a release of the punishing sanctions. We heard from Hassan Rouhani saying as Iran always says that the sanctions did not succeed but he conceded that they did have an impact on the everyday lives of Iranians. There’s an estimate that some $100 billion will, over time, once Iran carries out its implementation of this agreement, will be released into the Iranian economy.” Lyse Doucet, Newshour, BBC World Service radio, July 14th, 2015.
Israel Radio’s Palestinian Affairs correspondent Gal Berger recently reported that the Iranian ambassador in Lebanon has announced that Iran is to pay ‘terror grants’ to the families of Palestinian terrorists killed during the ongoing wave of attacks against Israelis.
“Iran has announced that it will be paying every family of a Palestinian attacker that has been involved in the current wave of violence, Israeli outlet Reshet Bet reports.
If the attacker was killed the family will receive $7,000 from Iran, with a $30,000 payout if their house was demolished by the Israeli authorities.
The announcement was made by the Iranian ambassador in Lebanon, Mohammed Fatah Ali, according to Reshet Bet.”
The Times of Israel adds:
“Ali’s statements were made at a press conference attended by Hamas officials, who reportedly praised the initiative and thanked Iran for its support. However, Ali seemed to open up the terror incentives to all Palestinians, not just Hamas members.”
Presumably those payouts will be in addition to the pledges of similar compensation from the Palestinian Authority and the PLO – which the BBC has of course not reported to date.
