Kerry Warns of 'Dangerous Consequences' of Any New Sanctions Against Iran

John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State, says that imposing any new sanctions against Iran could have dangerous consequences. Kerry, who was in San Francisco on Monday, June 5, to raise funds for the Ploughshares Fund, stated that new sanctions on Iran's missile program could send the message to the people that the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) has not benefited them. The Ploughshares Fund works to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction. According to the Associated Press, Kerry also mentioned that new sanctions could push Iran in a dangerous direction. Last month, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 18 to 3 in favor of a bill that gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose new sanctions against Iran. The former Secretary of State under Barack Obama expressed hope that Trump would listen to the 'good people' in his administration and avoid imposing new sanctions. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's vote coincided with Hassan Rouhani's victory in the recent presidential elections. Kerry tweeted at that time: 'After Rouhani's reelection, many developments are underway, and the atmosphere is prone to misunderstanding.' The former U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that now is not the time to sanction Iran. Trump has repeatedly criticized the nuclear deal with Iran during his campaign and after taking office, calling it the worst deal he has ever seen. In his first foreign trip, Trump went to Saudi Arabia, where he called for Iran's isolation due to its support for 'terrorism' and 'sectarianism' in the region. In addition to Trump, Saudi Arabia was also strongly opposed to the Iran nuclear deal. During the U.S. President's visit, a $110 billion arms sale agreement was signed with Saudi Arabia. In this context, the approval of new sanctions against Iran in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee coincided with Trump's call for stricter travel restrictions to the U.S. and a swift review of it in the Supreme Court.