The Obama administration is behaving like a “drug cartel” in its foreign policy dealings with Iran, Sen. Tom Cotton said Sunday, charging that a $400 million cash payment to Iran earlier this year sends a signal of weakness.

Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” the Arkansas Republican said the exchange — which coincided with the release of four American hostages held by Iran — surely was interpreted as a ransom payment by Iranian leaders, harming American credibility in the process.

“I think it’s really shocking to most Americans that the United States government was acting like a drug cartel or a Third World gunrunner might, stacking cash on a pallet and wrapping it in cellophane and flying it in an unmarked aircraft to give to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism,” Mr. Cotton said. “There are still a lot of questions left to be answered and the Obama administration continues to stonewall.”

The White House maintained last week that the $400 million was not a ransom payment, though officials have not been able to say whether Iran would have released the hostages if the money wasn’t delivered.

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