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Correction: A typographical error in an earlier version of this story caused a country to be misidentified in a quote from U.S. Sen. James Lankford. He was speaking of Iran. A corrected version appears here.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford said Friday he believes the Obama administration has paid Iran $1.7 billion — not the $400 million widely reported — in a deal tied to the release of four American prisoners.

Lankford, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said his opinion is based on reports originating from Iran that the $1.7 billion has already been incorporated into that country’s defense budget.

“I think it’s already gone,” Lankford said, referring to the $1.3 balance owed the Iranian government. “I think they wired that (to Iran), but the administration will not discuss it.”

The situation goes back to 1979, when the Iranian government of Shah Reza Pahlavi paid the U.S. government $400 million for some fighter jets. Pahlavi was overthrown — and 52 Americans taken hostage — in a revolution later that year, and the planes were never delivered.