Trump Urges Inclusion of Iran in Russia Sanctions Bill

President Donald Trump called on Republicans to add Iran to the Senator Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, a bipartisan bill designed to increase economic pressure on Russia's financial and energy sectors. Writing on Truth Social on July 19, 2026, Trump stated that adding Iran to the legislation had been an objective of the late Senator Lindsey Graham and described the move as important.

The request follows a period of escalating military conflict, including U.S. airstrikes against an under-construction nuclear facility near Tehran on July 19 and retaliatory attacks following the deaths of two U.S. service members in Jordan. While Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Tim Scott supported the expansion, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal previously warned that including Iran or Hezbollah could jeopardize the bipartisan support for the bill.

The legislation, introduced by a group of over 60 senators, targets Russia's shadow fleet and the top five purchasers of Russian energy through targeted measures and potential tariffs of up to 100%. Separately, Trump stated he is indifferent to Iran's decision to stop abiding by the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, maintaining that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains the primary priority.