United States Paid Iran $400 Million to Release Prisioners

A move by the United States back in January 2016 is just now being discussed by spokesman John Kirby in an in-depth report by the Wall Street Journal. According to Kirby, the United States paid Iran $400 million in the form of a cash payment, contingent on the release of American prisoners.
The cash transfer in exchange for U.S. prisoners took place on January 17th.
According to the Wall Street Journal Report which was published on Wednesday evening, an Iranian cargo plane as cleared to transport the $400 million cash from an airport in Geneva to Iran the same day, after the Americans were freed.
Some of those freed included the Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian who was arrested on accusations of espionage back in July 2014.