Business trip to Iran ‘not helpful’, Kerry tells France

By Mehrdad Balali DUBAI (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his French counterpart a trip to Iran by French executives was "not helpful" and that it gave the wrong impression that the West could do business with Tehran as usual, a U.S. official said. Under an interim deal reached by Iran and six world powers in November, Tehran agreed to limit parts of its nuclear work in return for the easing of some international sanctions. The easing of sanctions, which began in late January, has prompted Western firms to race for business opportunities. Iran welcomed more than 100 executives from France's biggest firms on Monday, the most senior French trade mission in years.