New York Rep. Tenney says US allowing Iran to have a 'hostage extortion business' will backfire

"They're not even hiding the fact that they're in the extortion business, and we should not be engaging them," Tenney said.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., speaks during the press conference outside the Capitol on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, with first responders facing termination for refusing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.

By Charlotte Hazard

New York GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney cautioned the United States about allowing Iran to make large amounts of money by making deals with American hostages.

"We've got to stand up to the Iranians now and continuing to allow them to have a hostage extortion business is going to hurt us in the long run and they’re not going to stop," she said on the Wednesday edition of the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show.

Last week, Biden negotiated the release of five American hostages from Iran in exchange for Iranian nationals serving prison sentences due to violating sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Republicans have called the $6 billion deal a terrible idea.

According to Tenney, the Iranian economic minister said that this exchange would help the economy.

"They're not even hiding the fact that they're in the extortion business, and we should not be engaging them," she stated. "This is the same mistake we made under President Obama."

Tenney re-emphasized that the U.S. should not be participating in this exchange at all.

"It's a complicated issue in Iran, but it's a very simple issue when it comes to foreign affairs: no hostages, no extortionary businesses should we be engaged in as a country."