All posts tagged: Sanctions

Trump pivots back to sanctions for Iran : NPR

Trump pivots back to sanctions for Iran : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One at Morristown Airport, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Morristown, N.J. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump likes to say that he started his war with Iran after 50 years of economic pressure had failed to stop its nuclear weapons ambitions — but he’s now betting that another financial squeeze can bring an end to that war. The Trump administration is hoping that months of bombing have pushed Iran’s economy to a breaking point that will force its leadership to cave to demands to end its nuclear program and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers. The president on Monday said that since Iran is seeking compensation as part of any peace talks, he now intends to demand the same for the U.S. side. It’s part of a larger pivot this weekend by Trump to argue that Iran is now on the cusp of financially collapsing, even though it has already endured decades …

Russia sanctions bill honoring Lindsey Graham breezes through Senate

Russia sanctions bill honoring Lindsey Graham breezes through Senate

Published by Sam Flores

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 30, 2025. Ukrainian Presidential Press Ser | Via Reuters Read more CNBC politics and policy coverage The bill would impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that are within the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or gas, which includes China and India. Oil revenue is key to funding Russia’s military action. It also includes sanctions on Russian leaders and officials, targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, oligarchs and financial institutions. At the request of President Donald Trump, the bill extends sanctions on Iran’s weapons and energy sectors.  Following the vote, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, told reporters on Capitol Hill that Graham would be “proud of what we’ve done.” Blumenthal worked on the legislation with Graham before his death. “These sledgehammer sanctions and tariffs will stop all who are complicit in this murderous, criminal war of aggression against a brave free people,” Blumenthal said. “To the people of Ukraine, we are with you.” Sen. …

Senate passes sanctions bill on Russia and Iran named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Senate passes sanctions bill on Russia and Iran named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to impose sanctions against Russia and Iran after months of fits and starts, with the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham providing the final push. The 61-page legislation, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, in honor of the bill’s biggest proponent, is designed to punish major buyers of Russian oil and gas. It also features additional sanctions on Russian leaders, family members and oligarchs. Smoke rises over the city following a Russian air attack on Kyiv in July.Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images file And it allows for targeted tariffs on products from countries that buy most Russian oil and gas, limiting them to the five biggest importers. The vote was 86-11. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the bill would help protect Ukraine against Russian aggression. “Ukraine is now the largest conflict, literally, since World War II in Europe,” Thune said in a recent floor speech. “And the Ukrainian people have been resilient, worked really, really hard …

Cuba could collapse. Here’s what Trump wants.

Cuba could collapse. Here’s what Trump wants.

Published by Sam Flores

After Venezuela and Iran, could Cuba be Donald Trump’s next target? As the island endures its worst crisis in decades, Washington is hardening its stance and imposing further sanctions. Is this merely political posturing, or part of a genuine strategy by the US president? How far are the United States prepared to go? In this video, France 24’s Stella Elgersma, together with several experts, examines the geopolitical stakes and the possible scenarios surrounding the communist island, to understand what is unfolding just 90 miles off the coast of the United States. Keywords for this article Source link

How US Senate Russia sanctions could spell 100% tariffs for India, China | Russia-Ukraine war News

How US Senate Russia sanctions could spell 100% tariffs for India, China | Russia-Ukraine war News

Published by Sam Flores

A sweeping package of new Russian sanctions has cleared its first hurdle in the United States Congress, and, if passed, could trigger huge tariffs for countries such as India and China which continue to buy oil from Moscow. The bill, which was advanced in the US Senate this week, has been named for the late Lindsey Graham, whose funeral was attended by world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the week. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Here’s what we know: What happened in the Senate? The “Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026” was advanced overwhelmingly by the Senate this week in a vote of 86 to 12, meaning it can now proceed to the House of Representatives for further deliberation. Named for the late Senator Graham, a staunch Ukraine supporter who died unexpectedly this month, the bill moved forward with the support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in Washington to attend Graham’s funeral and watched the proceedings from the gallery. “It was an honour to …

Add Iran tariffs to sanctions bill despite little U.S. trade

Add Iran tariffs to sanctions bill despite little U.S. trade

Published by Sam Flores

US President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on July 29, 2026. Ken Cedeno | AFP | Getty Images President Donald Trump wants Congress to add tariffs on Iran to a sanctions bill against Russia and Tehran that has bipartisan support. Those duties would have little effect because the U.S. imports nearly nothing from Iran. But tacking them on to the bill may torpedo its chances of becoming law. While sanctions against the two countries have widespread support in Congress, Trump’s well-established belief in tariffs as a one-size-fits-all tool for economic coercion is polarizing. The U.S. imported just $1.4 million in goods from Iran in 2025, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Works of art, collectors pieces and antiques were the largest category of those imports, making up 55% of the value, according to the firm Trading Economics. It’s hard to imagine that figure increasing much this year — especially since late February, when the U.S. and Israel launched a war …

US Sanctions UK-Based Senior Muslim Brotherhood Leader Over Alleged Hamas Support

US Sanctions UK-Based Senior Muslim Brotherhood Leader Over Alleged Hamas Support

Published by Jenni Sidey

The United States has sanctioned a senior UK-based Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) official alongside six other individuals and entities that it said provided material support to terrorist group Hamas. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on July 23 that the action exposes MB affiliates and “Hamas-directed front organizations that use charitable facades and underground networks to disguise and move funds in support of terrorism.” As Evgenia Filimianova reports via The Epoch Times, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Mahmoud al-Abyari as one of the sanctioned individuals, describing him as the UK-based secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood General Secretariat. OFAC said al-Abyari helped raise funds for two organizations it had previously sanctioned over alleged Hamas ties—Filistin Vakfi and Hayat Yolu—and worked with MB groups to provide financial support to Hamas. Two charities were also named, including Indonesia-based Tujah Bulah Global and Gaza-based Madad Palestine Charitable Society. A Turkey-based money exchange rounded out the list. Treasury said El-Kahira for General Trading transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to Hamas and separately provided …

US Hits Network of Iranian Financier Zanjani With More Sanctions

US Hits Network of Iranian Financier Zanjani With More Sanctions

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) – The United States on Friday imposed sanctions against nine ⁠firms ⁠and four people in the business network of ⁠sanctioned Iranian financier Babak Zanjani for evading sanctions, even as U.S. forces escalated their strikes across Iran.  The sanctions add to ​a broader U.S. campaign of military and economic pressure on Iran. The country’s currency has hit record lows, inflation exceeds 60% and U.S. strikes have intensified from the north ‌to the south of the country.  The U.S. Treasury ‌Department said the new designations target Zanjani’s Iran-based operations under his “Dot One” conglomerate and several firms based in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates that have supported ⁠his already designated digital ⁠asset exchanges, as well as top executives at those firms. Treasury said Zanjani had leveraged a diverse ​portfolio that includes financial services, digital asset trading and gold and precious gem production, along with major infrastructure projects, to launder revenue and move funds covertly for Iran. “The United States is holding Babak Zanjani and his sprawling network accountable for enabling the Iranian regime …

Russian head of FIDE suspends activity over EU sanctions

Russian head of FIDE suspends activity over EU sanctions

Published by Sam Flores

July 23 : Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), said on Friday he was suspending his activity with the organisation after being placed on the latest European Union sanctions list. The EU’s 21st sanctions package, issued in connection with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, imposes punitive measures against 170 entities and 48 individuals. Measures could include asset freezes, travel and transaction bans. Dvorkovich, in a statement on the FIDE website, denounced the EU move as “unlawful and unfair” and pledged to challenge it by all possible means. “However, given that until a formal court decision is rendered and/or such decision is cancelled or amended, these sanctions could hinder the stable functioning of FIDE, I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties as FIDE President with immediate effect…” he said. The statement said Viswanathan Anand, an Indian world chess champion, would take over as the federation’s interim president. Dvorkovich, a former Russian deputy prime minister who has led FIDE since 2018, said last month he would …