Regular MSNBC guest Elie Mystal called on other countries to sanction the United States, claiming that especially after the American military carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, &#8220;we are the bad guys on the world stage.&#8221;
Mystal, who also serves as justice correspondent for The Nation, joined ex-MSNBC host Joy Reid on her new eponymous show to discuss the targeted strikes against Iran, and they both appeared to take the side of the world&#8217;s most prolific and eager state sponsor of terror.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Elie Mystal: &#8220;Our country is THE bad guy on the world stage. The world needs to stand against America. Sanction us.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/3OjPx52Ryn">pic.twitter.com/3OjPx52Ryn</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1940475418504843539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Joy, I’ve argued — and I don’t say this lightly — but our country needs to be sanctioned,&#8221; Mystal declared. &#8220;We are the bad guys on the world stage. We are a menace to not only free people everywhere, but we are a menace to peaceful people everywhere at this point.&#8221;
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
&#8220;And I’m not even gonna say that we’ve only been a menace for the past three or four months, right? Like when does the international community decide that enough is enough?&#8221; Mystal continued. &#8220;I know we’re rich. I know we’ve got a lot of money. I know that people want to buy things from our country because we’re rich, or want to sell things to our country because we are rich. But at some point the international community has to stand up to us because we are a bad guy on the world stage, right? And so we should be sanctioned. We should be sanctioned and rebuked.&#8221;
Mystal has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regular-msnbc-guest-all-laws-passed-before-1965-should-be-presumptively-unconstitutional">also claimed</a> in the past that all laws passed prior to 1965 — specifically, before the passage of the Voting Rights Act — should be considered &#8220;presumptively unconstitutional.&#8221;
&#8220;Before the 1965 Voting Rights Act, we were functionally an apartheid country. Not everybody who lived her could vote here,&#8221; Mystal told the hosts of ABC&#8217;s &#8220;The View.&#8221; &#8220;So why should I give a **** about some law that some old white man passed in the 1920s?&#8221;
Just two months before President Donald Trump won his second term in the White House, Mystal argued on Reid&#8217;s now defunct MSNBC show that Trump only had a following because he&#8217;d rallied around supporters &#8220;just as despicable.&#8221;
&#8220;The reason why it doesn’t end his career is because his supporters are just as despicable, all right?” Mystal said. “Like Trump’s whole thing, he’s a narcissist, right? And so his whole thing is to have a complete lack of compassion and empathy for everybody else. It’s all about him. It’s all about him, him, him, me, me, me. He’s probably the least compassionate president we’ve had in 200 years since Andrew Jackson. And it works for him because his supporters are just as ungenerous, and have just as little compassion and empathy for others.&#8221;

American Violence And The Trump Insurgency: Malcolm Nance In Conversation With Elie Mystal

MSNBC Regular Wants Other Countries To Sanction U.S.: ‘We Are The Bad Guys’

MSNBC Regular Wants Other Countries To Sanction U.S.: 'We Are The Bad Guys'

Iran Airstrike

Joy Reid

Media

Military

MSNBC

Politics

Sanctions

Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee were outraged that President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russia.
There are just two problems with that: he didn’t lift sanctions. And the policy they’re slamming began under President Joe Biden.
“While both parties in Congress push to tighten sanctions, Trump signals—again—whose side he’s on,” the official account for the Democrats on the House Affairs Committee <a href="https://x.com/HouseForeign/status/1939723170141098295" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted on X Monday</a>. “He won’t hold Russia accountable. Congress must.”
The account was referencing <a href="https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20250627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a general license renewal</a> from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which allows certain Russian banks to temporarily operate without sanctions. The post did not mention that the license is a continuation of a policy implemented by the Biden administration in December 2024, and renewed again in January 2025 — weeks before Trump took office.
A Treasury Department spokesman confirmed to The Daily Wire that the general license is not a sanctions rollback, but an extension of an earlier measure.
“The Trump administration has not lifted sanctions; all sanctions remain in effect, and there has been no change to our sanctions policy in regard to Russia,” the spokesperson said. “This general license is a continuation of a general license initially granted in 2024 under the Biden administration.”
A Republican spokesman for the committee called the Democrats’ post attacking Trump “verifiably false” in a statement to The Daily Wire.
“We are not taking pressure off of Russia, and these licenses were greenlit under Biden,” the spokesperson said. “Democrats are still grasping for anything to lie about President Trump’s record on Russia.”
The spokesman added that “Democrats lying about President Trump for a few clicks does nothing to end the bloodshed in Ukraine.”
The Democrats&#8217; House Foreign Affairs Committee has not yet deleted the post. But a Democrat spokesman for the committee backtracked in a statement to The Daily Wire, claiming that the Trump administration is “carving out exceptions.”
“Unfortunately, the Administration appears more focused on carving out exceptions to existing sanctions than on imposing new ones, despite strong bipartisan support in Congress for a policy of strength,” the spokesman said.
They added that Ranking Member Gregory Meeks drafted Section 307 of his Ukraine Support Act “to explicitly block this general license — regardless of which President issued it.”
“Ranking Member Meeks’ position is clear and consistent: he supports additional sanctions on Russia to defund Putin’s war machine,” the spokesperson said.
The general license was implemented by the outgoing Biden administration to give Trump leverage in negotiating between Russia and Ukraine.
A former senior advisor for OFAC under the Biden administration also concluded that the Trump administration did not lift sanctions.
“This is not a lifting of any sanctions — it simply extends a general license that was previously in place,” Brad Brooks-Rubin, a former Senior Advisor in the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. Department of State,  <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/55461" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Kyiv Post</a>.
The June 27 general license extension temporarily permits 13 major Russian financial institutions involved in civilian nuclear energy transactions to continue operating without sanctions.

Putin/Trump

House Democrats Falsely Accuse Trump Of Lifting Russia Sanctions: ‘Verifiably False’

Democrats

Donald Trump

Russia

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday lifting sanctions on Syria, the latest step in warming relations between Trump and Syria&#8217;s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The executive order, Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions, will terminate various sanctions programs on Syria and the national emergency with respect to Syria, beginning on January 1, according to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“These actions reflect the President’s vision of fostering a new relationship between the United States and a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors,” Rubio said in a statement. “U.S. sanctions will not be an impediment to Syria’s future.”
The announcement comes after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-lifting-syria-sanctions-could-transform-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met with Sharaa</a> — who toppled Syria&#8217;s anti-American dictator, Bashar al-Assad — during his visit to Gulf nations in May. After the meeting, Trump described the terrorist turned head of state as a “young attractive guy” with a “very strong past.” The meeting between Trump and Sharaa was the first meeting between an American president and a Syrian leader in 25 years.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said of Sharaa. “I spoke with [Turkish] President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”
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Al-Assad was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled by Sharaa</a> and his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, in December. Sharaa, who was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> on his head for almost a decade before it was lifted in 2024.
Rubio said he will also take “appropriate action” with regard to the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group, and review the Specially Designated Global Terrorist designations of the group and Sharaa.
Rubio will also reexamine Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, enacted in 1979.
“Today’s actions mark the beginning of a new chapter for the people of Syria as they work to shape a future that is safe, stable, and successful,” Rubio added.
The executive order also states that Rubio will determine if the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, signed by Trump in 2019, should be suspended. The act sanctioned the former Syrian government for war crimes and designated several Syrian industries, but includes a provision for the president to waive sanctions if certain conditions are met.
Sanctions will remain on Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, traffickers, people linked to Syria’s past proliferation activities, ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Iran and its terrorist proxies.
The executive order will also relax some restrictions on exports to Syria.
&#8220;This is in an effort to promote and support the country&#8217;s path to stability and peace,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday. “The order will remove sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on the former president Assad and his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates, and Iranian proxies.”
According to the order, “the United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and neighbors” and a “Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity.”
It adds that Syria has been transformed in the last six months since Sharaa’s government took over for Assad.
Sharaa has been accused of grave human rights violations and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly plans</a> to impose strict sharia law in the country. But since taking office, he has also sought to reinvent himself as a moderate force for a tolerant Syria.
He has repeatedly denied that he was a terrorist, including in a PBS interview where he said “it’s a political label that carries no truth or credibility.”
Sharaa has worked hard to grow relations with Trump since he took office, including signaling he would be willing to normalize relations with Israel, allow the United States to have access to Syrian oil and gas, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-tower-damascus-syria-seeks-charm-us-president-sanctions-relief-2025-05-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly stating</a> he wants a Trump Tower in Damascus.

Trump al-Sharaa

Trump Lifts Sanctions On Syria In Sweeping Policy Shift

Ahmed al-Sharaa

Marco Rubio

State Department

Syria

The Trump administration announced that it is sanctioning over 30 individuals and entities tied to three Iranian brothers who have laundered billions of dollars as part of Iran’s “shadow banking&#8221; network, which helps Tehran evade sanctions and fund the regime&#8217;s nuclear program and terrorist proxies.
Mansour, Nasser, and Fazlolah Zarringhalam have used Iranian exchange houses and foreign front companies to help Iran evade sanctions and move money from its oil and petrochemical sales, according to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“Iran’s shadow banking system is a critical lifeline for the regime through which it accesses the proceeds from its oil sales, moves money, and funds its destabilizing activities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in <a href="https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1931028124009197990" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement on X</a>. “Treasury will continue to leverage all available tools to target the critical nodes in this network and disrupt its operations, which enrich the regime’s elite and encourage corruption at the expense of the people of Iran.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-slaps-sanctions-on-icc-judges-targeting-u-s-israel?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Administration+Sanctions+ICC+Judges+For+Targeting+The+United+States+And+Israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SANCTIONS ICC JUDGES FOR TARGETING THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL</a>
The sanctions come as President Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to curb the Iranian regime. OFAC has sanctioned hundreds of individuals, entities, and vessels related to Iran and its proxies since Trump took office.
Despite being in active <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-saturdays-nuclear-talks-between-the-u-s-and-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear negotiations</a> with the Iranian regime, Trump has kept up his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and stop its backing of terror organizations across the Middle East.
The Zarringhalam brothers used front companies in both Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates to assist sanctioned Iranian regime officials and affiliated businessmen in receiving payments from petroleum sales and other commodities. Their network is used by Iran’s main oil and petrochemical exporters and the Iranian military to evade sanctions, according to OFAC.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%</a>
The exchange houses include Mansour Zarrin Ghalam and Partners Company (also known as GCM Exchange), and Nasser Zarrin Ghalam and Partners Company, all of which oversee a sprawling network of front companies. The Hong Kong-based front companies being sanctioned are: Bstshesh HK Limited, Fitage Limited, Gutown Trade Limited, Konosag Trading Limited, Lastsix Trading Limited, Magical Eagle Limited, Marlena Trading Limited, Prettandy Trading Limited, Profu Company Limited, Saledige Trading Limited, and Xia Trading Limited. The UAE-based sanctioned front companies are: Wide Vision General Trading L.L.C, J.S Serenity FZE, Moderate General Trading L.L.C, Ace Petrochem FZE, and Golden Pen General Trading L.L.C.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-world-stop-buying-iranian-oil-or-else" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP TO WORLD: STOP BUYING IRANIAN OIL — OR ELSE</a>
According to OFAC, Iran’s shadow banking networks are composed of numerous financial facilitators like the Zarringhalam brothers, and allow &#8220;sanctioned Iranian persons and military organizations to access the international financial system and facilitate Iran’s international exports, the proceeds of which fund Iran’s military and its terrorist proxies.”
The network often uses front companies outside of Iran, located primarily in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. These companies often use falsified invoices and transactions to hide payments for sanctioned goods, according to OFAC.
<div id="attachment_930531" style="width: 907px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930531" class="size-large wp-image-930531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-1.34.08%E2%80%AFPM-897x576.png" alt="Sanctions on Iran map" width="897" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-1.34.08%E2%80%AFPM-897x576.png 897w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-1.34.08%E2%80%AFPM-300x193.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-1.34.08%E2%80%AFPM-768x493.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-1.34.08%E2%80%AFPM.png 1146w" sizes="(max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px" />OFAC&#8217;s map of how Iran operates its shadow banking system. (Photo: OFAC)</div>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF RECOVERS BODIES OF TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN GAZA</a>
“The shadow banking system negatively impacts the Iranian people as well; Iranian whistleblowers have highlighted instances of Iranian government agents embezzling billions of dollars and other acts of corruption through this banking network,” OFAC said.
The sanctions will block all American property and interests in property belonging to the designated individuals, and prohibit American citizens from contributing funds, goods, or services to them.

iran trump

Trump Sanctions Shadow Banking Network Funding Iran’s Nuclear Program

Iran

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he is seriously weighing tougher sanctions on Russia over its years-long war against Ukraine, a potential move backed by a bipartisan Senate supermajority eager to force Moscow’s hand, as peace negotiations falter.
In a Sunday exchange with reporters, Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1926772105401549062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he is “absolutely” considering new sanctions on Russia. Hours later, he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, calling him “CRAZY” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with continued fighting between soldiers, as well as missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. &#8220;I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; he added.
The rebuke stretched into Tuesday, with Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114580564427808609" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning</a> that Putin is “playing with fire” and claiming that “really bad things” would have already struck Russia without his restraint.
A coalition of 81 senators, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has rallied behind a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1241/text?s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> to slam Russia with fresh sanctions if Moscow refuses genuine peace talks with Ukraine or launches new attacks threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty post-agreement. The legislation also <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3D495158-CF7D-4833-A2DB-9E5558843F1B" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposes</a> a 500% tariff on goods from nations buying Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other commodities.
&#8220;While we yearn for peace, it is increasingly clear to us – and a supermajority of the Senate – that Putin is playing games,&#8221; Graham and Blumenthal declared in a joint <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-grahams-hard-hitting-sanctions-bill-has-over-80-cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last week. &#8220;The United States Senate stands ready to act if these games continue.&#8221;
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that after a two-hour call with Putin last week, Trump declared that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start,&#8221; only for the Kremlin to deny any such plans. The week prior, Putin snubbed scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, prompting Trump to insist that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale &#8211; Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a co-signer of the Graham-Blumenthal bill, argued Tuesday that sanctions are now critical. &#8220;I believe president trump was sincere when he thought his friendship w Putin wld end the war,&#8221; Grassley <a href="https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1927369150529171572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. &#8220;Now that being the case ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS &#8216;game over.'&#8221;
Trump also took aim at Zelensky and former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social over the weekend. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Trump and Senate Republicans

Trump Eyes Stinging Russia Sanctions. This Bipartisan Proposal Could Bring The Pain.

Chuck Grassley

Congress

Global Politics

Lindsey Graham

U.S. Senate

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose sanctions on any country or individual that purchases Iranian oil or petrochemical products.
“Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114433959082847679" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump posted</a> to Truth Social. “They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.”
Trump’s warning comes after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-will-pay-the-consequence-pete-hegseth-warns-iran-over-lethal-support-to-houthis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98You+Will+Pay+The+Consequence%E2%80%99%3A+Pete+Hegseth+Warns+Iran+Over+Lethal+Support+To+Houthis">warned</a> Wednesday that Iran would “pay the consequence” for providing “lethal support” to the Ansar Allah terrorist organization, also known as the Houthis.
It’s unclear what incident prompted Hegseth’s post. But on Monday, an encounter with the Houthis caused a $60 million U.S. F/A-18 fighter jet to slip off the hangar deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and fall into the Red Sea.
The United States has spent several weeks conducting airstrikes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the Houthis</a> in response to the group’s more than 100 attacks on international cargo ships, tankers, and naval vessels following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. Since March, over 800 Houthi targets have been hit, resulting in the elimination of hundreds of fighters and leaders, and Houthi ballistic missile launches and suicide drone attacks are down 69% and 55% respectively, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-strikes-kill-hundreds-houthi-fighters-hit-over-800-red-sea-targets-central-command" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News reported</a>.
Despite being in active <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-saturdays-nuclear-talks-between-the-u-s-and-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear negotiations</a> with the Iranian regime, Trump has kept up his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and curb its backing of terror organizations across the Middle East.
If negotiations fail, the president has repeatedly warned that military action remains on the table to disrupt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“I think if the talks aren’t successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-iran-will-be-in-great-danger-if-saturdays-nuclear-talks-fail?row=3&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;title=Trump+Says+Iran+Will+Be+In+%E2%80%98Great+Danger%E2%80%99+If+Saturday%E2%80%99s+Nuclear+Talks+Fail&amp;category=News&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump said</a> from the Oval Office earlier this month. “It’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, that’s all there is.”
On Wednesday, the State Department announced sanctions on seven entities involved in the Iranian petroleum and petrochemical trade. The sanctions target four sellers, one purchaser, one marine management company, two of its vessels, and an Iran-based cargo inspection firm.
Last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sanctions-iranian-petroleum-magnate-caught-trying-to-move-oil-from-texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctions were imposed</a> on two Iranian petroleum magnates, one of whom was caught attempting to export cargo to China off the coast of Houston last year. In total, 72 entities, 14 individuals, and 74 vessels were sanctioned.

SAUDI-US-GCC-DIPLOMACY

Trump To World: Stop Buying Iranian Oil — Or Else

Pete Hegseth

The Trump administration on Tuesday announced new sanctions against two Iranian petroleum magnates who use their business to funnel revenue to the Iranian regime — one of whom was caught last year attempting to export cargo to China from off the coast of Houston.
Petroleum magnate, Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh, his son Meisam Emamjomeh, and his corporate network — now sanctioned by the Trump administration — are responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars worth of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to foreign markets, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0093">according</a> to the Treasury Department. LPG is a large source of revenue for the Iranian regime, which funds regional terrorist proxy groups including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.
The sanctions come as the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-saturdays-nuclear-talks-between-the-u-s-and-iran?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here%E2%80%99s+What+You+Need+To+Know+About+Saturday%E2%80%99s+Nuclear+Talks+Between+The+U.S.+And+Iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts to negotiate</a> a nuclear deal with the Iranian regime while also keeping up its maximum pressure campaign. The sanctions were announced by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and are in line with Executive Order 13902, which targets those operating in certain sectors of the Iranian economy.
“Emamjomeh and his network sought to export thousands of shipments of LPG—including from the United States—to evade U.S. sanctions and generate revenue for Iran,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “The United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to provide the Iranian regime with the funding it needs to further its destabilizing activities in the region and around the world.”
Under the sanctions, &#8220;all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC,&#8221; according to the Treasury Department. All transactions by American citizens or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designees are prohibited. Violations may result in civil and criminal penalties, according to OFAC.
OFAC added that its power comes from its ability to both add and remove people to a sanction list, stating that “the ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.”
Emamjomeh, who is based in Iran, and Meisam, a UAE-based British-Iranian, have owned and operated an LPG sales, transportation, and delivery network through multiple companies in Iran and the UAE for over a decade, according to the Treasury Department.
TINOS I, a large gas carrier vessel in the network, attempted to load LPG off the coast of Houston, Texas, to sell to China in June 2024, according to Lloyd’s List, which <a href="https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1153240/EXCLUSIVE-How-an-LPG-tankers-maiden-voyage-ended-with-the-US-sanctioning-a-sprawling-Iranian-gas-network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took credit for alerting</a> American authorities about the ship when it was en route to Houston.
According to the maritime news outlet, TINOS I, built in 2024, was on its maiden voyage before sitting at anchor following Lloyd’s list asking authorities for comment. Pearl Petrochemical told Lloyd’s List that it received a license from OFAC but did not specify if it was permitted to lift cargoes in the United States.
Until October 2024, Emamjomeh owned UAE-based Pearl Petrochemical FZE, the beneficial owner of TINOS I, before ownership passed to Meisam.
&#8220;Emamjomeh also owns or controls nine additional LPG companies in Iran, including, reportedly, one company with a monopoly on the National Iranian Gas Company’s LPG deliveries,&#8221; the Treasury Department reported. &#8220;Meisam acts as director and chief executive officer (CEO) of United Kingdom-based Worldwide LPG Limited, while also serving on the board of directors of many of Emamjomeh’s Iran-based companies.&#8221;
One of Emamjomeh’s UAE-based companies, Caspian Petrochemical FZE, is &#8220;part of a network that has exported thousands of shipments of LPG from Iran to Pakistan and [has] conducted tens of millions of dollars in business on behalf of Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co. (PGPICC).&#8221;
PGPICC has been designated by OFAC since July 2019 for being owned or controlled by Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (PGPIC), which was also designated on the same day for providing financial support to Khatam al-Anbiya, the engineering conglomerate of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Emamjomeh’s designation is the consequence of his operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. The designation will extend to several of the companies he owns or controls, including Caspian Petrochemical FZE, Parsa Fidar Paydar Engineering and Technology Company, Nilgon Parsa Caspian Shipping Company, Arsa Gas Company, Pasar Gas Company, Petro Parsa Caspian Iranian Company, Pasar Gas Novin Trading Company, Parsa Salakh Qeshm Industrial Complex, Parsa Trabar Caspian International Transportation Company, and Parsa Trabar Persia International Transportation Company.
Meisam and his Pearl Petrochemical FZE and Worldwide LPG Limited are also being designated, according to the Treasury Department&#8217;s announcement, on similar grounds. The TINOS I will be identified “as property in which Pearl Petrochemical FZE has an interest.&#8221;

Iran To Meet Own Gasoline Needs After Persian Gulf Star Refinery Expansion

Trump Sanctions Iranian Petroleum Magnate Caught Trying To Move Oil From Texas

Iran Nuclear Deal

Oil and Gas

Scott Bessent

The Trump administration, firmly committed to wiping out support for the terrorist group Hamas in America, is reportedly considering imposing sanctions on the international funders footing the bill for pro-Hamas protests.
Financial supporters of the terrorist group included prominent Qatari nationals, current and former United States officials told the <a href="https://freebeacon.com/trump-administration/trump-administration-weighs-sanctions-on-foreign-funders-of-pro-hamas-campus-protests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Free Beacon</a>. In January, President Trump issued an Executive Order to Combat Anti-Semitism, which authorized the deportation of foreign students who participated in anti-Semitic demonstrations. The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-takes-forceful-and-unprecedented-steps-to-combat-anti-semitism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact sheet</a> accompanying the order featured the president saying, “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
“President Trump has made it a priority to ensure that Jewish students, indeed all students, feel safe and free from harassment on college campuses,” one senior United States official told the Free Beacon. “To that end, his administration is taking a comprehensive approach, not just looking at the visas and green cards of student instigators, but also, for example, going after the people funding the protests, wherever they may be.”
It&#8217;s not just the Qataris funding the pro-Hamas groups. Last July, former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines <a href="https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/press-releases-2024/3842-statement-from-director-of-national-intelligence-avril-haines-on-recent-iranian-influence-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>, “Iranian government actors have sought to opportunistically take advantage of ongoing protests regarding the war in Gaza, using a playbook we’ve seen other actors use over the years. We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters.”
“This was on the menu when I was there, but the previous administration was a bit squeamish about taking extreme measures, like revoking visas,” said a former diplomat. “But that’s not a problem in this administration, and we’re hearing they’re looking at all options—from sanctions on individuals to the revocation of visas. You can&#8217;t get rid of anti-Semitism on campus without getting rid of the funding, and the funders are Qatar.”
“Trump&#8217;s Executive Order provides the basis for going after the backers of illegal pro-Hamas protests, and Trump officials are doing exactly that,” a senior GOP congressional official told the Free Beacon. “There are mountains of evidence that Qatar paid for groups committed to halting Israel&#8217;s campaign against Hamas. Everyone knows where the investigation into illegal protests will end up, and Republicans will look to punish those responsible.”

US-ISRAEL PALESTINIANS CONFLICT-CONFLICT

Trump Admin Mulling Sanctions On Foreign Funders Of Pro-Hamas Protests

Pro-Hamas

Qatar

On Friday morning, President Trump stated that he is considering imposing sanctions on Russia, saying Russia is “absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield.”
Trump said he is considering sanctions until a peace deal is reached between Russia and Ukraine.
“Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely “pounding” Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114121576367163341" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
On Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bessent-signals-trump-to-crush-iran-russia-with-energy-sanctions?topStoryPosition=undefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that the Trump administration was prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia, “A major factor that has enabled the Russian war machine&#8217;s continued financing was the Biden administration&#8217;s egregiously weak sanctions on Russian energy, stemming from worries about upward pressure on U.S. energy prices,” he said at the Economic Club of New York. “This administration has kept the enhanced sanctions in place and will not hesitate to go ‘all in’ should it provide leverage in peace negotiations. &#8230; (Sanctions on Russia) will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact.”
This would not be the first time Trump sanctioned Russia. In April 2018, the Trump administration sanctioned specific Russian officials and oligarchs. “The Treasury Department, after consulting with the State Department, sanctioned seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they control, plus 17 top Russian officials, a state-owned weapons-trading company and a subsidiary bank,” CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/06/us-sanctions-russians-including-oligarch-linked-to-former-trump-campaign-chief-paul-manafort.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. In August 2019, President Trump issued an executive order giving the Treasury Department and Commerce Department authority to issue sanctions banning granting Russia loans or other assistance from international financial institutions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram to urge a “silence in the sky,” adding, “The first steps to establishing real peace should be to force the sole source of this war, that is, Russia, to stop precisely such attacks against life,” the<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-trump-zelensky-putin-uk-threat-b2710677.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Independent</a> reported, adding, Ukraine’s air force announced this morning that Russia had fired 67 missiles and 194 drones. They said they shot down 34 of the rockets and 100 drones, with 86 additional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) having disappeared in the air.”

Trump Warns Of Sanctions On Russia If No Peace Is Achieved

On Tuesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> Democrats blocked legislation that threatens to impose sanctions on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/international-criminal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Criminal Court</a> (ICC) after the organization issued arrest warrants against Israeli leaders last year.
The majority of Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them opposed breaking the filibuster, resulting in a <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00022.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">54-45 vote</a> that fell short of the 60-vote threshold needed to begin debate on the bill.
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54-45:Democrats blocked the Senate from advancing a House-passed bill to sanction the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.60 votes were needed. Fetterman (PA) was the only Democrat to vote Yes. Ossoff (GA) did not vote. <a href="https://t.co/oMGSzvZV40">pic.twitter.com/oMGSzvZV40</a>
&mdash; Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1884328983501959536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the sole Democrat to vote in favor of the bill. &#8220;The ICC’s treatment towards Israel and equivocating to Hamas was unacceptable,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1882928967151485018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;We should absolutely sanction the ICC.&#8221;
Republicans called out Democrats who opposed the legislation, including Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY), who said: &#8220;Republicans are holding the ICC accountable with sanctions. Democrats are blocking us. Why?&#8221;
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Criminals in the world today have a friend — the International Criminal Court. 
They target Israel while letting evil regimes around the world off the hook. 
Right now Republicans are holding the ICC accountable with sanctions. Democrats are blocking us. Why?
&mdash; Sen. John Barrasso (@SenJohnBarrasso) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnBarrasso/status/1884328296848187876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Democrats voted against protecting American troops from a corrupt kangaroo court. They had 10 months to negotiate this bill, but instead waited until the last minute to demand unworkable changes that would give carve outs to big tech. Make no mistake-Democrats weakened our…
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1884331129613742352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Senate Democrats are using their new-found respect for the filibuster to effectively endorse the ICC’s illegitimate prosecution of our closest ally in the Middle East. It is outrageous! 
AMERICA STANDS WITH ISRAEL &amp; AGAINST LAWFARE. 
All these Senate Democrats have done is…
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1884344446688583879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1884320663542120601" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> criticized the ICC for how &#8220;their anti-Israel bias has taken over and become too much,&#8221; but also claimed the sanctions bill was &#8220;poorly drafted&#8221; and &#8220;deeply flawed.&#8221;
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/23/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Illegitimate+Court+Counteraction+Act%22%7D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislation</a> would &#8220;impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies.&#8221;
Penalties listed in the bill would have the president implement restrictions on transactions of property and interests within the U.S., as well as visas, admission, or parole for anyone linked to offending ICC actions.
Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Brian Mast (R-FL) first <a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-roy-and-mast-demand-sanctions-icc-officials-going-after-us-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> the sanctions bill last May, citing reports indicating the ICC was prepared to issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials in response to the war in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/icc-blasted-over-arrest-warrants-for-netanyahu-gallant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant — as well as Hamas terror group officials — a move that got bipartisan criticism in the U.S.
In the last Congress, the House passed the bill only for it to be <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8282/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ignored</a> by the Democrat-led Senate amid <a href="https://x.com/nicholaswu12/status/1797727903175807367" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opposition</a> by President Joe Biden. The House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-again-passes-icc-sanctions-legislation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> the bill again for the new term earlier this month.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-will-be-first-foreign-leader-hosted-at-trump-white-house?topStoryPosition=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: Netanyahu Will Be First Foreign Leader Hosted At Trump White House</a>
&#8220;Last year, I committed to putting this bill on the floor when Republicans were in the majority. Today, I’m following through on that promise,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1884292120804028914" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> in a post to X.
Thune also included a forward-looking warning to his post, saying, &#8220;While the ICC is targeting Israeli leaders today, it could easily set its sights on Americans – and American soldiers in particular – tomorrow.&#8221;

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Senate Democrats Block International Criminal Court Sanctions Bill

Chuck Schumer

International Criminal Court

Israel

John Fetterman

John Thune

U.S.

On Thursday, the Republican-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> again passed legislation threatening to impose sanctions on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/international-criminal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Criminal Court</a> (ICC) after the organization issued arrest warrants against Israeli leaders last year.
Forty-five Democrats <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/20257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined</a> 198 Republicans in voting for the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. The bill once more heads to the Senate; with the GOP in control, the legislation may actually succeed.
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/23/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Illegitimate+Court+Counteraction+Act%22%7D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislation</a> would &#8220;impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies.&#8221;
Penalties listed in the bill would have the president implement restrictions on transactions of property and interests within the U.S., as well as visas, admission, or parole for anyone linked to offending ICC actions.
Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Brian Mast (R-FL) first <a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-roy-and-mast-demand-sanctions-icc-officials-going-after-us-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> the sanctions bill last May, citing reports indicating the ICC was prepared to issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials in response to the war in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC later did <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/icc-blasted-over-arrest-warrants-for-netanyahu-gallant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issue</a> arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant — as well as Hamas terror group officials — a move that got bipartisan criticism in the U.S.
Roy and Mast, who is now chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, <a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-chairman-mast-reintroduce-bill-protect-israel-illegitimate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> earlier this week that the House rules package for the nascent 119th Congress set the stage for their legislation to get another vote.
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&#8220;The House will not tolerate rogue actors who circumvent international law to attack Israel and threaten America. We won’t do it,&#8221; House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://x.com/Edgar_A_Barrios/status/1876657254218465309" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a press briefing on Capitol Hill this week.
Johnson also noted he expects the Senate, now led by Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), to vote on the bill. The Democrat-led Senate in the last Congress <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8282/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not vote</a> on the legislation as President Joe Biden <a href="https://x.com/nicholaswu12/status/1797727903175807367" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opposed</a> it.
Roy <a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-chairman-mast-reintroduce-bill-protect-israel-illegitimate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he has &#8220;full confidence&#8221; President-elect Donald Trump &#8220;will stand for Israel with the strength and moral clarity that Biden has sorely lacked,&#8221; adding the bill ensures the ICC won&#8217;t get a &#8220;free pass&#8221; to attack U.S. allies.
The House vote on Thursday was the second in this Congress in which a bipartisan group of lawmakers passed a bill. On Tuesday, 48 Democrats and 216 Republicans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-again-passes-laken-riley-act-159-dems-vote-against-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent</a> the &#8220;Laken Riley Act&#8221; to the Senate.

Rep. Chip Roy

House Again Passes ICC Sanctions Legislation

Chip Roy

U.S. House of Representatives

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/european-union">European Union</a>, responding to the recent Iranian attack on Israel in which it fired roughly 350 drones and missiles, decided on Monday to tighten sanctions on Iran, barring the exportation of  EU-made components used for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles.
“After Tehran&#8217;s attack on 13 April against Israel, which saw over 300 projectiles headed from different fronts towards the Jewish nation, the EU began working on an expanded raft of sanctions to cover the production of missiles and enlarge the catalogue of prohibited drone-related components,” EuroNews <a href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/04/22/eu-countries-agree-to-slap-new-sanctions-on-iran-to-curtail-drone-and-missile-production#:~:text=The%20European%20Union%20has%20reached,or%20drones%2C%20and%20ballistic%20missiles." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, noting of Iran that the “country has over the years developed an intricate network of operators to obtain sensitive dual-use items, which can be used for both military and civilian purposes, and evade long-standing international sanctions.”
The EU sanctions reportedly will increase restrictions to the &#8220;whole region of the Middle East and the Red Sea,&#8221; according to High Representative Josep Borrell.
On the other hand, no move was made by the EU to name the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, although that idea has been discussed since the Iranian regime cracked down on protesters last year. “There are doubts within the EU members whether this step can be legally taken (which first requires a national decision in this regard, that is, for a court in one of the EU countries to declare it a terrorist organization) and, most importantly, whether it would be a convenient thing to do, as it would further close the already narrow channels of communication with Tehran,” El Pais <a href="https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-04-22/the-eu-is-preparing-to-expand-its-sanctions-on-iran-as-a-political-warning-after-the-attack-on-israel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.
In mid-February, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-warns-israel-against-catastrophic-rafah-offensive-2024-02-19/#:~:text=BRUSSELS%2C%20Feb%2019%20(Reuters),the%20southern%20edge%20of%20Gaza.">every EU country except Hungary</a> warned Israel not to attack Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza. In recent years, Hungary’s relations with Israel have been very warm; in May 2020, Hungarian Foreign Minister Petar Scheirto made it clear Israel could depend on Hungary for support, <a href="https://www.maariv.co.il/news/politics/Article-766829" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> Hungary would “continue to oppose anti-Israeli statements in front of the European Union, the United Nations and in international forums.” He called accusations against Israel for war crimes “absurd” while noting that both countries had been under attack in the international arena &#8220;as a result of political voting.”

EU flag

EU Tightens Sanctions On Iran After Iranian Attack On Israel

European Union

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