State Department officials can't release more information on payments made to Iran this year because they have to respect the privacy of foreign governments, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"We do make a practice of not commenting publicly on transactions, including settlement payments, due to the confidential nature of those payments and to respect the privacy of our international partners," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters.

Trudeau made the comment while deflecting questions about the payments, including attempts to learn why the Treasury Department transferred the money destined for Iran to the State Department in $99,999,999.99 increments. The money was paid in order to resolve a dispute over a decades-old weapons deal that was pending in the Hague, but news that the administration used a $400 million cash payment as "leverage" to obtain the release of American hostages in Iran has revived concerns that President Obama effectively authorized a ransom.

The Treasury Department published a document on its website outlining those payments, but the State Department said it was still not at liberty to provide more details. "I absolutely can't verify that," she said. "I believe you're referring to a document on Treasury's website ... I just can't speak to it."

Trudeau walked back her use of the term "privacy," but still didn't provide more details. "I'm sorry, [if I said privacy] then I misspoke, it's confidential nature," she said.

That didn't satisfy press corps, who noted that "that money has been paid from the U.S. taxpayers," but Trudeau emphasized that the agreement was for the good of the country.

"As the president spoke on January 18th, as the secretary made clear, the resolution of the Hague settlement was in fact in the best interest of the U.S. taxpayer," she said. "In terms of the mechanics of this, what is made public, I can't speak to from this podium."