US Senate Passes Sweeping Russia and Iran Sanctions Bill

The United States Senate passed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran in a landslide 86–11 vote. Championed by Senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation targets Russian financial institutions, officials, and the shadow fleet of oil tankers used to evade restrictions. The bill authorizes tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas to curb revenue streams and limit military support.

The legislation now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a final vote. These legislative actions coincide with a broader international effort to isolate Moscow, including concurrent sanctions imposed by the New Zealand Government on 33 Russian individuals and entities.

In a related effort to expand energy restrictions, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the SHADOW Fleets Act. This proposed legislation aims to target Russian Arctic liquid natural gas projects and the Nord Stream II pipeline, aligning U.S. policy more closely with European Union plans to accelerate a ban on Russian LNG imports.