Kerry told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, “We stand by our sanctions”.
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His comments came Thursday in response to a complaint lodged by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (zah-REEF’), who told The Associated Press in an interview that new USA sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile testing are “illegal” and an example of an American “addiction to coercion”.
Earlier this week, the USA and the European Union have lifted crippling sanctions against Iran following the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s finding that Tehran had curbed its nuclear program as promised. The US did much the same, but will keep some sanctions that are linked to human rights and terrorism.
The International Atomic Energy Agency ruled on Saturday, Jan. 16, that Iran had abided by an agreement past year with six world powers to curtail its nuclear programme, triggering the end of sanctions.
The lifting of sanctions will allow in due course much-needed investment to flow into Iran, the unlocking of Iranian funds overseas – estimates range from US$50 billion (£35 billion) to $100bn (£71bn) – and a return of Iran to the export markets.
Iran’s foreign minister has condemned what he called the United States’ “addiction to pressure and coercion”.
“In addition, the United States sells tens of billions of dollars worth of military equipment to the region”, he said.
He didn’t specify, but the USA has been a big military supporter of Israel and Iranian rivals Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Corker was then contacted by President Barack Obama’s administration about the link to American prisoners and made a decision to hold off on more calls for sanctions, for a time. “So you have a difference of views among various political actors, among various parts of the population”.
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Despite lingering tensions between Iran and the United States despite the nuclear deal, he said, “the United States can take steps to overcome this mistrust”, he said, such as through implementation of the nuclear agreement.
