How Washington and Tehran reached the deal - and why critics believe the US gave up too much

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Good morning,

Dude, where’s my plane?

For nearly 24 hours Sunday and Monday, the U.S. Marine Corps was asking the public for help finding an $80 million F-35 fighter jet that went missing somewhere over South Carolina. They even posted a phone number for the public call with info. Yes, you read that correctly.

By last night, officials said debris was found in Williamsburg County about two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston.

We still don’t know much about what happened. The Marine Corps says the pilot of the craft had "safely ejected" during a “mishap” on Sunday afternoon. The plane was then flying on autopilot— undetected— for some duration of time.

Looks like the fighter jet’s stealth abilities are working a little too well.

Have a good one!

Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney

🗞 HIGH-STAKES PRISONER SWAP

Five Americans who were wrongfully detained in Iran’s Evin prison — one of the most brutal detention centers in Iran — are flying back home after the U.S. brokered a rare deal with Iran. The terms of the agreement, though, are under intense scrutiny by critics who are concerned the U.S. helped provide billions in funding to Iran, a state sponsor of terror.

WHO IS BEING FREED?
A plane carrying the five Americans who were imprisoned on false espionage charges left Iranian airspace on Monday morning. Among them: Siamak Namazi, who was detained in 2015, Morad Tahbaz, arrested in 2018, and Emad Shargi, taken captive in 2018. The families of the two other Americans have chosen to keep their identities anonymous. After initially landing at the airport in Doha, Qatar, the freed Americans walked together arm-in-arm (photo above).

THE DEAL
In return for the five Americans, the U.S. released five Iranians being held here, and gave Tehran access to $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue frozen in a foreign bank account.

The $6 billion had been held in South Korea, one of Iran’s largest oil customers, as a result of a 2018 waiver issued by the Trump administration that permitted the Koreans to continue purchasing Iran’s oil. Those funds became stuck in 2019 when the Trump administration tightened sanctions on Iran.

The swap was celebrated by the US prisoners’ families —some of whom haven’t seen their loved ones for more than 8 years and saw them as innocent pawns. But the terms of the deal have generated fierce criticism, mainly among Republicans who fear the arrangement allows money to flow to the Islamic authoritarian regime.

Republicans fear this will only entice Iran to take more Americans hostage to use as bargaining chips. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) told CBS News that it effectively “put a large price tag on the head of every American” who goes overseas.
Iranian-born Professor Mehran Kamrava, who now teaches at Georgetown University in Qatar, told the BBC: “For Biden, heading into the election, he's bringing Americans home and for Iran, there's the release of Iranians in prison in the United States, but it's that six billion [dollars], that's a big win."

THE WHITE HOUSE STANDS ITS GROUND
The Biden administration insists Iran’s use of the $6B will be strictly controlled through a Qatari bank, and limited to humanitarian purchases like food and medicine. But Iranian officials have repeatedly declared they will spend their money as they wish. In an interview with NBC, Iran’s president said they will use the money wherever, and however, they want.

In his statement following the release, President Biden urged Americans not to travel to Iran. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a similar warning: “While this group of U.S. citizens has been released, there is no way to guarantee a similar result for other Americans who decide to travel to Iran despite the U.S. government’s long-standing warning against doing so.”

SIMMERING US-IRAN TENSIONS
Tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s growing nuclear program. Iran is adamant that its program is peaceful, but it is now closer than ever to weapons-grade uranium. The United Nations’ top nuclear official warned earlier this year that Iran now has enough enriched uranium to produce several atomic bombs. And, Iran is supplying Russia with drones that carry bombs to target Ukraine. Additionally, there is also Iran’s brutal crackdown on protests and political dissent over the last year—including imprisoning thousands and executing several protesters.

HOSTAGE ROBERT LEVINSON
This now means all American prisoners are home from Iran, except for Bob Levinson, an American who disappeared while on a CIA mission in Iran in 2007. The US now believes Levinson died in Iranian custody. In his statement, President Biden also demanded more information on what happened to him.

*These images were e-mailed anonymously to Levinson’s family in 2011*

✔︎ Mo News Reality Check: The prisoner swap comes as the U.N. General Assembly convenes this week in New York, where President Biden and Iranian President Raisi are both slated to speak. But the two leaders are not scheduled to meet face-to-face.

The Washington Post describes the prisoner swap as “a major breakthrough for the bitter foes.” But there are still a lot of major issues at play: the rapid expansion of Tehran’s nuclear program, its ongoing military support for Russia and Iran’s harsh crackdown on internal dissent.

As for nuclear talks, the Post reports that the US and Iran have been “discussing a possible informal arrangement” that would seek to place some limitations on Iran’s nuclear program.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Alleged killer of LA deputy heard voices, had attempted suicide, mother says (LA TIMES)

📌 Hunter Biden suing IRS over disclosures (AP NEWS)

📌 Tensions flare among House Republicans as deadline approaches to avoid government shutdown (CNN)

📌 Family says 14-year-old daughter discovered phone taped to back of toilet seat on flight to Boston (BOSTON 25 NEWS)

📌 U.S. News college rankings are scrambled as its formula changes (WASHINGTON POST)

📌 Virginia congresswoman announces rare neurological disorder diagnosis (POLITICO)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Preview: Biden’s message for the world today in UN speech (CNBC)

📌 PM Justin Trudeau accuses India of killing Canadian Sikh leader (FT)

📌 Ukraine’s Zelensky fires a number of defense officials in scandal-plagued defense ministry (NEW YORK TIMES)

📌 Danish artist is being forced to repay museum after delivering blank white canvases (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Instacart prices IPO at $30 a share, valuing grocery-delivery company at about $10 billion. The stock begins trading today (CNBC)

📌 Clorox warns of product shortages after cyberattack (FOX BUSINESS)

📌 Amazon’s Fall Prime Day sale is happening October 10th and 11th (THE VERGE)

📌 US National Debt tops $33 trillion for first time (FOX BUSINESS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Michigan State tells football coach Mel Tucker it will fire him for misconduct with rape survivor (AP NEWS)

📌 Writers Guild says negotiations set to resume with studios Wednesday (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

📌 Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs reportedly set NFL record with restructured 4-year, $210.6 million guaranteed deal (YAHOO! SPORTS)

📌 Bill Maher reverses decision to restart HBO show, joins other talkshow host decisions (NEW YORK TIMES)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: SEPTEMBER 19

*The Lansdowne Portrait of George Washington, by Gilbert Stuart, 1796*

1796: President George Washington delivered his Farewell Address, as he steps down after two terms in office. Printed in a Philadelphia newspaper, Washington implored his country to avoid entangling alliances with Europe, and warned about the dangers of forming political parties here at home.

1970: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" premiered on CBS-TV. The groundbreaking series starred Mary Tyler Moore as a single, independent working woman. Her character would inspire millions of women, including a young Oprah Winfrey.
1995: The Unabomber manifesto is published. It was a 35,000-word anti-technology document written by the then-anonymous man who had launched a bombing campaign that killed 3 and wounded 23. Authorities advised The New York Times and The Washington Post to publish the submitted document with the hopes it could help break the case. It worked. After reading the manifesto in the paper, David Kaczynski linked the writing style to that of his older brother Ted, who was later captured and convicted of the attacks.
1999: The Dixie Chicks become the first country group to top the Billboard albums chart when ‘Fly’ debuts at #1. (They’re now know as the Chicks.)