All articles tagged with #sanctions and embargoes
France is pressing the EU to lift sanctions on Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov to help secure the release of French citizens held in Azerbaijan, a move met with opposition from Kyiv and several EU partners who worry it could weaken the bloc’s Russia sanctions; the EU has already begun delisting Usmanov alongside another oligarch and is weighing renewals on sanctions for about 2,600 individuals and entities.
Iran’s economy is under growing pressure from a renewed U.S. naval blockade and sanctions that cut oil exports and foreign revenue, fueling shortages and inflation, while Tehran shows little sign of bowing to Washington’s demands.
Britain announced a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and sanctions on companies involved in settlement construction, signaling a significant policy shift that could strain ties with the United States and reflect European scrutiny of expanding settlements amid rising tensions in the region.
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called the alleged Russian drone plot “state-sponsored terrorism” as Europe weighs a coordinated response, while the EU has already imposed nearly twenty sanctions packages targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine—impacting Putin, oligarchs, banks and ships—with Western officials, including British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, attending the EU discussions.
At the G-20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged allies to back the United States’ plan to economically isolate Iran, arguing sanctions will hit Tehran’s economy even as China’s cooperation remains uncertain and no new commitments were announced.
The Trump administration is negotiating a long-term stake in a vast share of Venezuela’s oil fields—a costly, legally precarious plan intended to push energy companies to drill in a high-risk region. While a deal could come together in the coming weeks, it faces substantial hurdles from Caracas, potential U.S. congressional opposition, and broader sanctions and geopolitical risks.
Canada announced up to 50% tariffs on hundreds of U.S. products in retaliation for U.S. tariffs, with tariffs on steel and aluminum doubling to 50% and levies on about 700 other items taking effect Sept. 8, signaling a deepening cross-border trade dispute between long-standing allies.
Cuba says the U.S. sanctions policy is blocking its plan to open the economy to private investment even as Havana pushes June reforms to expand private business, imports/exports without state intermediaries, and foreign investment. Analysts say sanctions constrain capital access and overall reform momentum, noting a paradox where U.S. pressure may spur liberalization while also limiting the resources needed to implement changes; ongoing U.S.–Cuba talks and sharp partisan critiques underscore the policy’s persistent impact on Cuba’s economic trajectory.
The United Arab Emirates said it would suspend all trade and financial transactions with Iran in response to regional escalations after the UAE alleged Iran fired two ballistic missiles toward the Gulf state; Iran denied the missile attack, while the UAE said the move aims to pressure Tehran amid rising tensions.
Sixty days after signing a limited Iran deal, broader talks have stalled and the negotiation window has closed. The United States has resumed its sanctions approach, and the conflict with Tehran has shifted toward economic pressure, putting Trump under political scrutiny as his approval wanes and costs mount for the administration.
Iranian officials say a deal with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz is close, but Tehran insists the waterway will not reopen unless the United States meets a list of concessions—including compensation for war damages and sanctions relief—leaving Hormuz’s status uncertain amid broader U.S.-Iran tension and its impact on global energy markets.
After Senator Lindsey Graham’s death, pro-Kremlin figures speculate it could shift U.S. Russia policy, particularly around sanctions Graham championed; however, theories abound and the fate of the sanctions package remains uncertain.
Britain will label Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization and sanction the group and its proxies, after UK authorities linked the IRGC to a wave of violent plots on British soil, including bombing and assassination attempts against Iranian journalists and activists in Britain; the move expands sanctions and aids prosecutions of those tied to IRGC-linked violence.
The Washington Post reports a preliminary U.S.-Iran peace framework could grant Iran a major economic lifeline—sanctions relief, asset unfreezing and oil sales—in return for compliance with terms like inspections, potentially stabilizing Iran's postwar economy and funding reconstruction, though critics warn it could bolster Tehran's military reach and regional influence.
Trump and allies trumpet a potential U.S.–Iran deal as a windfall for American farmers, suggesting assets could fund U.S. food imports, but Iran denies the claims and says assets will be spent as it chooses; experts say the actual impact is unclear amid existing sanctions and opaque asset releases, while Treasury actions around Iranian sales underscore ongoing political maneuvering over sanctions relief and agricultural trade.