John Kerry: ‘Iran Is Not Open for Business’

Kerry: "Iran Is Not Open For Business" (The Jewish Week)

The United States did not let Iran off the hook in its recent deal to limit nuclear enrichment in exchange for easing of some economic sanctions, Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN in an interview that aired Wednesday.

Kerry dismissed as posturing recent comments by President Hassan Rouhani at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and at home, that his country was no longer hampered by sanctions, and that concessions made to broker the deal could be easily overturned.

"Iran is not open for business," Kerry told reporter Jake Tapper on The Lead (full transcript here). "Iran knows they are not open for business. We have increased sanctions against particular companies ... and we have told Iran we will continue to apply sanctions. We have made it clear to every other country that sanctions remain in place. Nobody should underestimate our seriousness."