New indications have appeared in the US that show global investments have not increased to the extent Iran expected after the international community lifted the nuclear-related sanctions on the country.

Elizabeth Rosenberg, a senior fellow from the Center for a New American Security, emphasized in a congressional hearing on Thursday that businesses are still not interested in Iran’s post-sanctions investment potentials.

"For reasons of political and security risk, existing sanctions, and the serious financial challenges associated with attempting business with Iran, many global banks have made it clear that they do not plan on doing business with Iran," Rosenberg told the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, as reported by Sputnik news agency.

Also, Congressman Eliot Engel emphasized at the hearing that Iran had expected to receive tens of billions of dollars following the lifting of sanctions.

Engel recalled that US Secretary of State John Kerry reported last month Iran has only received about $3 billion because of sanction relief.

Iran saw a series of economic sanctions lifted in January in line with a nuclear deal that the country has sealed with the P5+1 – the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. Nevertheless, global businesses are still afraid of the impacts of the remaining US primary sanctions against the country.

The US sanctions maintain a prohibition on Iran to access the American financial system or to directly conduct transactions in US dollars among a series of other restrictions.

US top diplomat Kerry on Thursday held a meeting with Britain’s top bankers to assure them that they will not be penalized by the sanctions for their legitimate deals with Iran.

He has nevertheless already emphasized that businesses were using the US as an "excuse" not to do business with Iran, added that some companies are still uninterested in doing business with Iran for a series of issues, including the country's antiquated financial system.