John Kerry: We Will Sanction Iran Again If Necessary

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed concern over Iran's behavior, stating that the United States will take action against it "if necessary." Speaking on Saturday, January 22, after a meeting with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, he added that new sanctions against Iran, similar to those recently imposed following the Islamic Republic's new ballistic missile test, would be one of Washington's potential actions against Iran. According to The Guardian, Mr. Kerry, who was present at a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart, assured everyone that the relationship between the United States and the GCC countries is based on mutual interests and defense, and there is no doubt that the United States will stand by them against any external threat. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait. In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia has launched a wide international campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran after several plainclothes forces attacked and set fire to the embassy and consulate of this country in Iran. In addition to the GCC, the United Nations Security Council, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have condemned the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Iran. Several Arab Islamic countries have either cut or reduced their relations with Iran. In the joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Kerry, Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, reiterated his criticism of Iran's "hostile behavior towards Arab countries," stating, "I do not think the United States has any illusions about what kind of government Iran really is." Mr. Jubeir referred to the brief detention of 10 U.S. Navy sailors by the Revolutionary Guards and said, "Normal countries do not behave this way." The latest round of tensions in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran began after Riyadh executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric and critic, along with 46 others, most of whom were members of al-Qaeda. This tension escalated with the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Iran, leading to the severing of relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Iranian government expressed regret over the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites and stated that it would deal with the perpetrators of this issue. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, condemned Saudi Arabia for "supporting terrorism" while stating that Tehran does not seek confrontation with Riyadh. Syrian peace talks were another focus of the U.S. Secretary of State's meeting with his counterparts in the GCC. Mr. Kerry expressed confidence that the talks would take place. The latest round of these talks is scheduled to be held on Monday, January 23, in Geneva, Switzerland.