Washington (EFE).- The United States President Donald Trump signed a legislation passed by the Congress on Friday expanding sanctions against Russia and Iran, while enabling tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian energy.
The bill, titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, “authorizes and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.”
Concretely, it allows the imposition of sanctions on Russian officials, banks, and key economic sectors. It also introduces measures targeting the «shadow fleet» of oil tankers used to bypass Western restrictions.
Spearheaded by the late Senator Graham, the law does not automatically trigger tariffs. Instead, it grants the executive branch the authority to apply them to buyers of Russian oil and gas, a move that would primarily impact nations such as China and India.
The legislation also allows penalties on financial institutions and other entities assisting Russia in evading US sanctions, while extending certain financial measures against Iran.
Including Tehran in the bill was key during negotiations to secure Trump’s endorsement for the measure, which initially focused solely on Russia.
Democratic lawmakers raised concerns over the expanded tariff powers, warning they could potentially be weaponized against US allies. EFE
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