Kerry: Syria Inaction Will Give Iran 'Permission Slip' to Pursue WMDs

Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry said Iran was hoping the United State would not respond with military force in Syria so they can have a “permission slip” to pursue, and potentially use, weapons of mass destruction themselves. 

“Our inaction would give them a permission slip to misinterpret our intention,” Kerry said. “Iran is hoping you are looking the other way.”

Kerry said North Korea and Hezbollah were also hoping “isolationism” prevails; he said it was not the time for what he called “armchair isolationism.”