A firebrand senior ayatollah in Iran has called the release of Iran’s frozen funds by the United States “a humiliation” and a “ransom” in exchange for “their spies.”

Ahmad Alamholhoda, who is close to Iran’s ruler Ali Khamenei and is the father-in-law of President Ebrahim Raisi was speaking during his Friday prayer sermon, August 18, in the religious city of Mashhad.

The hardliner ayatollah said that the ransom was paid not because of humanitarian concern for the hostages, but to prevent “their espionage secrets” to be publicized by Iran’s “interrogation” of the prisoners.

“They accepted to return $6 billion of Iran’s money with humiliation, pay ransom and take back their spies,” Alamolhoda said, while mocking “Westernized” Iranians for pinning their hopes on the United States and Europe.

Earlier this month, Iran announced it had reached agreement with the Biden administration to release five dual national American citizens it had arrested and convicted for espionage and related charges in sham trials, n exchange for $6 billion frozen in South Korea due to US sanctions.

The deal has led to sharp criticism and questioning by US lawmakers and many Iranian Americans, who say the Biden administration made a deal in secret and it is not clear what other concessions it has made to the Islamic Republic. Many critics also say that payment of ransom for hostages will endanger the lives of other Americans by emboldening the Iranian regime and other adversaries.

Alamolhoda addressing Iranians whom he called Westernized said, “Are you pinning your hopes on the gates of the West and expect their help? These are impure cowards who for a few spies,” are willing to be humiliated.