“In basic English, you’re saying that you wouldn’t give them the $400 million in cash until the prisoners were released, correct?” AP reporter Brad Klapper asked Kirby.
“That’s correct,” Kirby answered.
The Obama government has repeatedly claimed that the money was part of a settlement over a failed arms deal from 1979, and was not a ‘ransom’ payment.
Klapper continued the line of questioning, leading Kirby to make remarkable accusations against the press.
“Listen, this happened in January, and this is the first time you’ve ever said flat out that they [Iran] wouldn’t get the money until the prisoners were released,” Klapper said.


http://freebeacon.com/national-security/state-dept-says-prisoners-release-nee...

Of course, if you Want more, it's available.
Infowars

Let's say you are honest.
Read what they admitted.
Own it.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 08/19/16 at 14:30:46:



how about answering the question?

The$$ was returned in exchange for people. It's Ransom, regardless of WHO owned the money in the first place.
If you took my bike and wouldn't return it, I might kidnap your dog.
You would have to Ransom your dog by returning my bike.

ran·som
ˈransəm/Submit
noun
1.
a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner.
synonyms:      payoff, payment, sum, price
"they demanded a huge ransom"
verb
1.
obtain the release of (a prisoner) by making a payment demanded.
"the lord was captured in war and had to be ransomed


Demands FOR the return of What is being held .
Ransom.

I think it was more a case of them reiterating the warning they gave back in March.

Timely? The State Dept has been giving warnings about travel in/to Iran for years....

Tbh, I'm more interested in the 'debt/bike' situation as described by LostArtist.

ok, let's say I legitimately owe you money, you took me to small claims court and the judge says I owe you money, I don't pay, not for DECADES, we aren't friends, let's say you're an @sshole (JOG, you aren't but for sake of argument) you take my motorcycle just because you are an @sshole, then finally, I get some money to make a down payment, not even the whole thing, but before I pay it, I tell you to give my motorcycle back.  

Was that money ransom for my motorcycle? (the money I already owed you, BEFORE you even knew I had a motorcycle)

I read this before and intended to comment but got busy.

First off; I don't believe a US President should have given Iran anything other than the middle finger. If some 'world court' decided we owed them money back for a weapons deal, I would have said sure, fine here's your money minus $xxx amount for the survivors of every hostage you took. Oh gee, that comes up to exactly 400 million. Sorry guys...

But that's another topic....  Lost analogy is wrong. Stealing a bike is a crime in and of itself. Kidnapping people is a crime in and of itself.

And yes, paying the money to get your bike back is ransom. If he didn't have the bike, you wouldn't have paid. Your motivation to pay is to get your property back, lacking that, you wouldn't have paid.

Also, not that the dictionary is the final arbitrator of definitions because words take on different meanings based on the situation, the word ransom is associated with the return of prisoners. Those 4 were not free to leave on their own so they were in fact, prisoners.

Now, you could say paying property taxes is paying ransom because if you don't they'll take your house. I would say yes, paying taxes is a form of ransom.  

Unfortunately, we'll find out soon enough if this was 'ransom'. If it was, they'll do the same technique again.