Why U.S. businesses could lose big in Iran

In a matter of weeks, the international community is expected to lift many sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy for decades.

But don't be fooled: U.S. companies won't find Iran very open for business.

The U.S. is lifting its nuclear sanctions on Iran as part of the landmark deal, but many business sanctions will remain in place. It will still be almost impossible for most U.S. businesses to set up a physical presence in Iran or partner with Iranian companies.

In contrast, Europe is opening up almost all trade with Iran. The result is likely to be: European companies win, American companies lose.

"There is not going to be a comprehensive law allowing all U.S. companies to operate in Iran anytime soon. This will make American firms the biggest loser of the nuclear deal," says Majid Rafizadeh, a Middle East scholar at Harvard.

The latest flare up between Iran and Saudi Arabia could make the U.S. even more cautious about scaling back additional sanctions.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/11/investing/iran-sanctions/