Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday launched “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign to cut Iran off from the global economy and punish governments, banks, and companies that continue doing business with Tehran.
The announcement comes roughly six months after President Donald Trump launched his military campaign against Iran, with Bessent saying the new economic offensive will target the financial networks and revenue streams that sustain the Iranian government, military, and security apparatus.
Bessent described the campaign as an “economic D-Day,” comparing it to the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, and warned that countries enabling Iran’s trade and financial activity will face U.S. sanctions.
“Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone,” Bessent said. “President Trump has taken action that his predecessors have long deferred, and under his leadership, America is no longer managing the Iranian threat; we are ending it.”
The campaign marks a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure on Tehran. Rather than focusing solely on Iranian entities, the administration is threatening the international banks, companies, and governments that help keep Iran connected to the global financial system.
Bessent said the Treasury has mapped the networks Iran uses to smuggle oil and evade sanctions and will pursue a “zero-leakage approach” to cutting off those channels. The administration is giving countries and entities a chance to shut down activities identified by Washington, but Bessent warned that the window will be short.
“No one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions,” Bessent said when asked whether Chinese banks could eventually be targeted. 
He declined to name specific institutions but said any bank or entity that facilitates transactions that turn Iranian oil into revenue for the regime could face sanctions.
The first round of measures targets five sectors Bessent called vital Iranian lifelines: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. 
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is also sanctioning more than 60 entities, individuals, and vessels accused of helping Iran procure nuclear and missile technology, conduct cyber operations, and generate oil revenue.
Bessent said every branch of Bank Melli, Iran’s largest commercial bank, should be “shuttered and dark” and warned that entities facilitating money laundering for Iran would be cut off from the U.S. dollar system.
Trump has been calling world leaders with specific requests to end their interactions with Tehran, Bessent said, while State Department and Treasury officials are following up with governments and entities to outline Washington’s expectations. He declined to identify the countries involved or give a specific deadline, saying the United States does not have “infinite patience.”
Bessent said a “wave of sanctions” would begin immediately and predicted a major announcement involving a financial institution by the end of the week.
He pointed to the United Arab Emirates as an early example of a country responding to the pressure. The UAE suspended all trade with Iran last week following new Iranian attacks on the Gulf country, which has faced hundreds of attacks since the war began.
Asked why the United States was not simply imposing the sanctions immediately, given his comparison to D-Day, Bessent said Washington did not want to “blow up the global financial system” and instead is giving countries and institutions a chance to remedy what the administration considers bad behavior before imposing secondary sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warned Monday that Tehran will retaliate against President Trump&#8217;s “Economic D-Day” sanctions campaign, including potentially targeting countries that cooperate with Washington.
“Any escalation of this situation will undoubtedly bring about consequences,” Baghaei said. “Our hands are not tied.”

Mojtaba

‘Operation Economic Outcast’: Trump Admin Launches Economic D-Day Against Iran

donald trump

iran

sanctions

scott bessent

treasury department

world

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent fired a blistering shot across Iran’s bow, declaring that President Donald Trump is bringing the hammer down on the Islamic Republic once and for all.
Writing in the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/cb865200-1a06-40be-86a3-10ee2bb05804">Financial Times</a> on Sunday, Bessent wrote, “We are entering the endgame. At dawn begins an economic D-Day — the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary. “
Bessent, channeling WWII, compared the Trump administration’s economic strategy to the 1943 Tehran Conference where Allied leaders plotted the downfall of Nazi tyranny. But this time around, the target is Tehran.
“For 47 years, the Islamic republic of Iran has been a malignant force in the world,” Bessent declared. “Within Iran, a corrupt regime has consigned what would be one of the world’s strongest economies to ruin and its enterprising people to repression. Beyond its borders, the Iranian regime maintains a network of proxies that perpetuate its terror.”
Bessent then turned to the nations that have covertly or overtly supported the despotic Iranian regime.
&#8220;The regime’s final refuge now lies in the self-deception of fearful nations that still believe accommodating aggression can secure a durable peace,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Iran’s enablers purchase and transport its petroleum. They facilitate the flow of its finances through exchange houses and free trade zones. They welcome Iran’s flights and maintain registries on its behalf. They turn a blind eye to seaborne fuel transfers and the illicit use of their banks, all while concealing the extent of their complicity.. In short, these countries calculate appeasement of the regime to be the safer course. But they would do well to consider the consequences of sustaining it.&#8221;
Bessent invoked the 17th-century philosopher Blaise Pascal, whose famous wager stated that human reason cannot definitively settle the question of whether God exists. Pascal argued that humans should think like gamblers, weighing the relative costs and payoffs of believing versus not believing. He contended that if you bet on God and are right, you gain everything (infinity); if you bet on God and are wrong, you lose very little (a few finite pleasures or the time spent in worship); but if you bet against God and are wrong, you lose everything (infinite pain/loss), thus any rational person should choose to believe in God, because risking an infinite loss for a temporary, finite gain is a terrible bet.
Bessent said of Pascal, “He understood that uncertainty does not absolve men or nations of divine judgment. In fact, it demands a more exacting appraisal of risk and imposes a higher price for error. Pascal’s eponymous wager now applies to Iran’s lifelines. Nations that, in courting reprieve from Tehran, continue to replenish the very regime from which they seek protection — and now exceed the limits of America’s tolerance.”
Bessent shredded decades of weak-kneed Washington politicians, writing, “For decades, the political class accepted an endless cycle of provocation instead of advancing American interests. Not another generation should be condemned to the menace of fanatics who devote themselves to ‘death to America’ and fulfilling the regime’s nuclear ambitions.”
“Those who sever Iran’s remaining financial and commercial connectivity will reinvigorate their own,” he urged. “They will deepen their access to global capital, reinforce confidence in their markets and attain the standing they seek in the world economy.”
“The Islamic republic has subsisted by dressing extortion as security guarantees,” he continued. “ It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. And those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington.”
He concluded, “Pascal considered salvation to be a choice. As a great wave of American resolve comes ashore, are Iran’s enablers willing to wager their future against it?”
Bessent’s warning is clear: the Trump administration is bringing the ultimate financial reckoning.

President Trump Meets With Lebanese President Joseph Aoun

‘We Are Entering The Endgame’: Trump Admin Sends Major Warning As ‘Economic D-Day’ Begins

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President Donald Trump announced what he called an &#8220;ECONOMIC D-DAY&#8221; against Iran on Wednesday, threatening economic consequences for countries that continue providing a lifeline to the despotic regime.
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Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday evening, Trump slammed the Islamic Republic for refusing to come to the table, warning that the time for polite diplomacy is officially over.
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&#8220;No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me,&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it. Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!&#8221;
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Trump added that these &#8220;HISTORIC MEASURES&#8221; will completely wreck Tehran’s ability to finance international terrorism.
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Trump also issued a zero-tolerance warning to any foreign nations or businesses secretly throwing a lifeline to the Iranian regime through shadowy financial tricks.
&#8220;ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences,&#8221; Trump threatened, calling on American allies to step up and isolate the regime once and for all.
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<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117124650907675461/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>
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Trump’s new crackdown comes as Iran&#8217;s economy is already in a catastrophic tailspin. Data from the exchange-rate monitor Bonbast<a href="https://www.bonbast.com/"> shows</a> the Iranian rial has undergone a catastrophic collapse. On the open market, the currency has plummeted to a staggering 1,374,600 rials to one US dollar. Over the last 20 years, the rial has lost more than 99% of its purchasing power; in 2006 the exchange rate was  9,200 rials per dollar. While Tehran attempts to hide behind a fictional &#8220;official&#8221; rate of 42,000 rials per dollar, the reality is quite different.
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The president’s latest post directly targets the illicit web of global actors keeping Iran’s tyrannical regime on life support. According to a <a href="https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/06/fincen-advisory-highlights-iran-sanctions-evasion-red-flags#:~:text=The%202025%20Advisory%20focuses%20particularly%20on%20how,to%20conduct%20international%20transactions%20without%20repatriating%20funds">report</a> by legal giant Holland &amp; Knight, Iran has relied on a shadowy international network to dodge U.S. sanctions.
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Entities in China and Hong Kong serve as a primary center for buying discounted crude oil and routing illicit payments through front companies. Logistics centers in Dubai and the UAE routinely hide funds and manage Iran’s &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; of oil tankers.
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Meanwhile, transit points in Malaysia and Singapore help relabel Iranian oil as &#8220;Malaysian Blend,&#8221; and nations like Panama and Cameroon allow tankers to sail under the radar. Trade intermediaries in Russia, Türkiye, and Venezuela help with cash transfers, energy swaps, and trade for physical gold.
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By targeting these shadow-banking schemes, corporate front companies, and ship-to-ship oil transfers, Trump is turning off the faucet entirely.
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US-POLITICS-ECONOMY-TRUMP

‘ECONOMIC D-DAY’: Trump Announces Unprecedented Operation To Crush Iran’s Shadow Economy

iranian rial

politics

Andrei Klepach, who was one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top macroeconomists, was fired after saying Russia was &#8220;falling behind&#8221; in the war with Ukraine. 
Two sources familiar with the matter <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russian-state-bank-fires-economist-who-warned-moscow-was-losing-war-attrition-2026-08-17/">told</a> Reuters that the economist was fired over remarks he made in May that resurfaced in Russian media last week. 
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Speaking at a gathering at the Nikitsky Club of economists, academics, and government officials, Klepach said, &#8220;We are falling behind.” He added, “We are losing both the technological ​and economic competition in the world. And we are losing it not only to China and the United States. In some ways, we are losing it to Ukraine too.” 
Klepach attributed Ukraine&#8217;s resilience in part to financial support from the West. 
&#8220;We will not win the competition in this war of attrition,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have the illusion that everything there will collapse. It has not collapsed ‌and will not collapse. Our costs are mounting.” 
Klepach worked for Russia&#8217;s National Economic Development Institution, VEB, for 12 years. Before that, he worked at Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development for ten years. Klepach confirmed his dismissal to Reuters. 
Klepach’s economic diagnosis contrasts sharply with Putin&#8217;s assessment of the Russian economy. In June, Putin said efforts to cool the Russian economy were deliberate. Putin was directly asked whether Russia&#8217;s economy was struggling because of the war and said such claims were exaggerated.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve deliberately taken steps to cool the economy,&#8221; Putin said of Russia&#8217;s Central Bank putting the country&#8217;s key interest rate at 14.5%, which he called &#8220;a difficult decision.&#8221;
&#8220;You can say we&#8217;ve cooled off, or you can say we haven&#8217;t done everything yet, but these are deliberate steps. We don&#8217;t want inflation — hyperinflation — to reach 60-80%, as it is in some countries,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/putin-says-russia-will-bolster-its-air-defenses-against-ukraines-long-range-drone-strikes">said</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re fighting for the health of the Russian economy as a whole.&#8221;
The United States is ramping up restrictions with the Senate <a href="https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/dem/release/what-they-are-saying-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-draws-widespread-support-from-prominent-american-officials-and-ukrainian-leaders">passing</a> the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on August 7. The Senate passed it 86 votes to 11, but it still has to pass the House. If the bill passes the House, President Donald J. Trump has indicated he would sign the legislation, which allows targeted tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas.
Charles Lichfield, director of economic foresight and analysis at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, said cracks are showing in the Russian economy through inflation and the Russian government’s large deficit. “They are on course to double the deficit they had in 2025 and that was already double what they had in 2024,” Lichfield said. “On inflation, they managed to bring it down to basically the target of 4% late last year, which was a big achievement given all the internal and external inflationary pressures, but it looks like that will not last.”
Russia’s economy has also faced pressure from declining energy revenues, Western sanctions, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and vessels associated with Moscow&#8217;s shadow fleet.

Vladimir Putin

Putin Fires Top Economist Who Said Russia Is Losing Ukraine War

russia

russian economy

ukraine russia conflict

vladimir putin

President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/09/trump-iran-interview">said</a> that his policy toward Iran has shifted to “low-keying it” and “semi-negotiating,” while noting the regime struggles to pay its troops. In essence, Washington is now being reactive rather than proactive, letting pressure shape the next opportunity. And rightly so, as widening Tehran’s internal fractures offers more leverage than strikes that cost more to carry out than the targets do to replace. But the question is whether Washington will be prepared to act when the moment arrives.
Economic pressure has repeatedly acted as a catalyst for nationwide movements in Iran and can also erode loyalty among opportunistic regime supporters dependent on state cash. The U.S. should be positioned for both, with a strategy to support protests and a framework for defections when they occur.
In September 2025, three months after the 12-Day War, Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei <a href="https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=61231">warned</a> of the <a href="https://farsi.khamenei.ir/others-report?id=61229">state</a> of “‘neither war nor peace’ that the enemy wants to impose on us,” acknowledged sagging morale among the public, and lamented Iran’s growing economic gap with other oil-rich nations. Four months later, <a href="https://gamaan.org/2026/07/27/iranians-attitudes-toward-the-2026-protests-and-war/">millions</a> took to the streets in an unprecedented <a href="https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2026/01/tehran-regime-fears-defections-as-irans-nationwide-movement-defies-containment.php">uprising</a>, the largest anti-regime movement in the Islamic Republic’s history.
Nearly a year later, Ali Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba, faces much of the same predicament. Trump has neither resumed the military campaign nor reached a new agreement, imposing another “no war, no peace” limbo on the regime. Meanwhile, Iran is struggling to export oil, its economy is buckling under pressure, and anti-regime resentment is growing.
The naval blockade against Iran’s southern ports and sanctions have tilted the balance toward Washington. During the initial blockade from April to June, CENTCOM <a href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4542098/us-forces-to-resume-naval-blockade-against-iran/">redirected</a> more than 140 ships and disabled nine others. Iran’s total seaborne petroleum <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/06/05/trumps-blockade-is-zeroing-out-irans-oil-exports/">exports</a> fell from 2.1 million barrels per day (BPD) in February to 1.15 million in March and 981,850 in April, while crude oil exports fell to zero in May and total seaborne exports averaged just 64,000 BPD.
Since the blockade resumed on July 14, CENTCOM has <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2087616031758103033">intercepted</a> another 59 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two. In addition to <a href="https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2026/07/centcom-strikes-iran-as-tehran-condemns-us-sanctions-waiver-revocation.php">revoking</a> a key provision of Iran’s oil sanction waiver, Washington has also issued eight sanctions packages since July, targeting the regime’s shadow <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/16/irans-renewed-aggression-should-spur-u-s-to-revive-maximum-pressure-campaign/#:~:text=Renewed%20Sanctions%20and,million%20in%20February">fleets</a>, weapons <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/16/irans-renewed-aggression-should-spur-u-s-to-revive-maximum-pressure-campaign/#:~:text=U.S.%20Action,Strait%20of%20Hormuz">procurement</a>, <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/28/treasury-moves-against-tehrans-recycled-sanctions-evader/">cryptocurrency</a> networks, and Strait of Hormuz extortion <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/31/u-s-targets-irans-hormuz-extortion-but-leaves-for">schemes</a>.
The economic squeeze is already biting. Annual <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-904988">inflation</a> reached 66% in July, with a point-to-point rate of 87.9%, and food prices <a href="https://www.khabaronline.ir/news/2240809/%25D8%25B3%25D8%25A8%25D9%2582%25D8%25AA-%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25DB%258C-%25D9%2585%25D8%25A7%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B2-%25D8%25AA%25D9%2588%25D8%25B1%25D9%2585-%25D8%25B3%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25BA%25D9%2584%25D8%25A8-%25DA%25A9%25D8%25B4%25D9%2588%25D8%25B1%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C-%25D8%25AC%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D9%2581%25D8%25B4%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1">rose</a> over 134%. In Persian fiscal <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-904988">year</a> 1404 (April 2025 to March 2026), fixed investment dropped 11.9%, construction plunged 15.8%, exports fell 4.9%, and imports collapsed 16.6%. The Iranian rial <a href="https://www.tgju.org/profile/price_dollar_rl/history">hit </a>a record low of 1.95 million per dollar in July and <a href="https://www.eghtesadonline.com/fa/news/2156579/%25D9%2582%25DB%258C%25D9%2585%25D8%25AA-%25D8%25AF%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25B7%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7-%25D9%2588-%25D8%25B3%25DA%25A9%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A7%25D9%2585%25D8%25B1%25D9%2588%25D8%25B2-%25DA%2586%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25D8%25B4%25D9%2586%25D8%25A8%25D9%2587-21-%25D9%2585%25D8%25B1%25D8%25AF%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AF-1405-%25D8%25AF%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B2%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25A2%25D8%25B2%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AF-%25D8%25A7%25D9%2585%25D8%25B1%25D9%2588%25D8%25B2-%25DA%2586%25D9%2586%25D8%25AF-%25D8%25AC%25D8%25AF%25D9%2588%25D9%2584">remained</a> near 1.88 million in early August. Around two-thirds of Iran’s 66 million working-age people are <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202607145906">unemployed.</a>
Fear skews polling in repressive Iran, yet the findings remain remarkably consistent. The Netherlands-based GAMAAN poll <a href="https://gamaan.org/2026/07/27/iranians-attitudes-toward-the-2026-protests-and-war/">found</a> that a majority of Iranians expressed “satisfaction” that the war weakened the Islamic Republic and viewed the regime’s survival and repression as their chief concern. An alleged leaked regime report also <a href="https://iranwire.com/en/features/154931-new-report-highlights-irans-attempts-to-spin-public-opinion-instead-of-addressing-core-issues/">found </a>that over 90% want political change, and most citizens harbor anger toward the regime.
The <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/17/washington-should-prepare-for-a-summer-of-unrest-in-iran/">convergence</a> of economic, social, and human rights grievances has kept anti-regime momentum alive inside Iran. As the regime publicly <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/31/10-iranian-judges-sanctioned-by-u-s-allies-but-not-washington/">hanged</a> two protesters from the January uprising on July 28, locals took to the streets and <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/28/iranians-clash-with-executioners-protests-khamenei/">clashed</a> with security forces. Scattered demonstrations also continue nationwide among <a href="https://www.ilna.ir/%25D8%25A8%25D8%25AE%25D8%25B4-%25DA%25A9%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25DB%258C-9/1808812-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AF%25D8%25A7%25D9%2585%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B6-%25DA%25A9%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B1%25DA%25A9-%25D9%2586%25D9%2587-%25D8%25AD%25D9%2582%25D9%2588%25D9%2582-%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25D9%2581%25D8%25AA%25DB%258C%25D9%2585-%25D9%2586%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A8%25DB%258C%25D9%2585%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A8%25DB%258C%25DA%25A9%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DB%258C-%25D8%25AF%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DB%258C%25D9%2585">laborers</a>, energy <a href="https://iranwire.com/fa/news-1/154812-%25D9%2585%25D8%25B9%25D9%2588%25D9%2582%25D8%25A7%25D8%25AA-%25D9%2585%25D8%25B2%25D8%25AF%25DB%258C-%25D8%25A8%25DB%258C%25D9%2585%25D9%2587-%25D9%2588-%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25DB%258C-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B6-%25DA%25A9%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D9%2588-%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B2%25D9%2586%25D8%25B4%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AA%25DA%25AF%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D8%25AF%25D8%25B1-%25D8%25B4%25D9%2587%25D8%25B1%25D9%2587%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C-%25D9%2585%25D8%25AE%25D8%25AA%25D9%2584%25D9%2581/">workers</a>, <a href="https://www.ilna.ir/%25D8%25A8%25D8%25AE%25D8%25B4-%25DA%25A9%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DA%25AF%25D8%25B1%25DB%258C-9/1792301-%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B6-%25D9%25BE%25D8%25B1%25D8%25B3%25D8%25AA%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25DB%258C%25D8%25B2%25D8%25AF-%25D8%25A8%25D9%2587-%25D8%25A8%25DB%258C-%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AF%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25AA%25DB%258C-%25D9%2585%25D8%25B9%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B1%25D8%25B6%25DB%258C%25D9%2585">nurses</a>, university <a href="https://ir.voanews.com/a/islamic-azad-university-student-protests-in-person-exams/8165689.html">students</a>, <a href="https://ir.voanews.com/a/iranian-retirees-stage-nationwide-protests/8170904.html">retirees</a>, victims of government corruption <a href="https://www.bbc.com/persian/articles/czj8rxv7y7ro">schemes</a>, and <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/06/25/mapping-the-protests-in-iran-2/">others</a>.
These grievances can exacerbate existing rifts across the regime’s armed institutions and further erode personnel morale. During the January uprising, the regime <a href="https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2026/01/tehran-regime-fears-defections-as-irans-nationwide-movement-defies-containment.php">feared</a> “desertion or disobedience” among security forces. Those strains became more <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603162057">visible</a> during the first month of the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hegseth-says-he-visited-us-troops-middle-east-2026-03-31/#:~:text=Hegseth%20also%20said,do%20about%20it.%22">conflict</a>, when <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/03/09/nothing-save-defections-command-breakdown-grip-irans-security-forces-us-israel-strikes-pound-regime/">reports</a> emerged of commanders <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603063591">abandoning</a> their positions, personnel deserting, and separate military institutions <a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603127596">refusing</a> to come to one another’s aid. Conscription evasion remains a persistent strain, with authorities in August <a href="https://www.isna.ir/news/1405051508716/%25D8%25AA%25DA%25A9%25D8%25B0%25DB%258C%25D8%25A8-%25D8%25B4%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C%25D8%25B9%25D9%2587-%25D9%2585%25D8%25B9%25D8%25A7%25D9%2581%25DB%258C%25D8%25AA-%25D8%25B3%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A8%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B2%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586-%25D9%2581%25D8%25B1%25D8%25A7%25D8%25B1%25DB%258C">threatening</a> deserters with broad civil and economic restrictions.
Desertion can precede defection only if personnel know there is a path to break with the regime. That process will have to unfold alongside internal turmoil, with protesters receiving <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4607024/iran-internet-is-back-until-it-isnt/">internet</a> access, air support, and the means to withstand an armed crackdown. At the heart of any defection strategy is public <a href="https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2026/03/israel-intensifies-strikes-on-repression-sites-expands-outreach-to-iranians-as-regime-repression-deepens-march-8-10-updates.php">messaging</a>, both for psyops purposes and to maximize its reach among armed personnel and dissidents alike.
Trump aptly called the standoff with Iran “a chess game.” He has already shaped the board and narrowed Tehran’s moves, but chess is not won by waiting for an opponent to collapse on itself. Victory hinges on being ready to convert pressure into checkmate.
***
Born and raised in Tehran, Janatan Sayeh is the Iran analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Previously, he held various research roles at the International Republican Institute, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and the American Enterprise Institute. Sayeh studied Hebrew and Arabic at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received his BA in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.

USA and Iran. US America and Iran flags on chess kings on a chess board. 3d illustration

Checkmate In Tehran: Converting Trump’s Economic Pressure Into Victory

protest

strait of hormuz

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia and Iran on Tuesday, passing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-12 vote just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and attended the funeral of the bill&#8217;s namesake.
The legislation, named in honor of the late South Carolina GOP senator, represents one of the final initiatives Graham worked to secure before his unexpected death earlier this month. Graham had spent the days leading up to his passing negotiating the measure with the White House after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
The vote came after Zelensky personally lobbied senators during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill before final passage. Zelensky traveled to Washington both to attend Graham&#8217;s funeral and to press lawmakers to approve the sanctions package aimed at increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following the meeting, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), one of the bill&#8217;s lead sponsors, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/sens-blumenthal-britt-shaheen-wicker-risch-after-meeting-with-ukrainian-pres-zelensky/683470">said to reporters</a>, “This bill is the one that will pass. This bill is the one that the President will sign. We want a law, not just a bill.&#8221; Blumenthal added that “it sends a message to Putin: your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side.&#8221;
The legislation would impose sweeping new sanctions on Russian political officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the so-called Russian &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; used to evade existing sanctions. It also authorizes secondary sanctions and tariff authority targeting countries that continue purchasing large quantities of Russian oil and gas, one of the Kremlin&#8217;s primary sources of wartime revenue.
In addition to Russia, the bill extends sanctions targeting Iran&#8217;s energy and weapons sectors through 2031, preserving restrictions that were otherwise set to expire this year. Senators agreed to combine the Russia and Iran sanctions into a single package after weeks of negotiations. 
Supporters described the measure as a fitting tribute to Graham, who was among the Senate&#8217;s most outspoken advocates for Ukraine throughout Russia&#8217;s invasion. &#8220;There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham&#8217;s legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement,&#8221; the bill&#8217;s bipartisan sponsors said in a <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bipartisan-group-of-senators-announce-agreement-to-move-forward-on-major-sanctions-legislation">joint statement</a> before Tuesday&#8217;s vote.
The measure drew opposition from a much smaller group of bipartisan senators.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who frequently opposes sanctions legislation on libertarian grounds, joined 11 Democrats voting against the bill. Democratic opponents cited concerns over the legislation&#8217;s tariff provisions rather than the sanctions themselves. &#8220;I support Zelensky,&#8221; Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/2082249948972617951">said</a> after voting no. &#8220;We&#8217;re all on board on the sanctions &#8230; But why do we need the tariff power in there right now?&#8221; 
Despite those objections, the legislation secured well above the 60 votes needed to pass, underscoring broad bipartisan support for increasing economic pressure on Russia as the war in Ukraine continues.
The House is not expected to consider the legislation until lawmakers return from the August recess. If approved there, the bill will head to President Donald Trump&#8217;s desk for his signature.

Briefing of US Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal in Kyiv

Senate Honors Lindsey Graham, Passes New Russia Sanctions

bipartisanship

lindsey graham

Richard Blumenthal

senate

U.S. Senate

ukraine

Ukraine Russia

volodymyr zelensky

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday clarified President Donald Trump&#8217;s claim that the United States will &#8220;run&#8221; Venezuela, stressing that it will not involve seizing control of the government or deploying American troops.
Rubio spoke with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos on &#8220;This Week,&#8221; where he clarified some of the statements Trump made after Saturday&#8217;s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro — in particular his claim that the United States would &#8220;run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sec. Rubio on how the U.S. is currently operating in Venezuela: “The armada of boats that are currently positioned allow us to seize any sanctioned boats coming into or out of Venezuela, loaded with oil or on its way in to pick up oil, and we can pick and choose which ones we go… <a href="https://t.co/TSAhCujoi6">pic.twitter.com/TSAhCujoi6</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2007830366388682785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;So is the United States running Venezuela right now?&#8221; Stephanopoulos asked.
&#8220;What we are running is the direction that this is going to move moving forward,&#8221; Rubio replied. &#8220;We have leverage. This leverage we are using — and we intend to use, and we have started using already.&#8221;
&#8220;The armada of boats that are currently positioned allow us to seize any sanctioned boats coming into or out of Venezuela, loaded with oil or on its way in to pick up oil, and we can pick and choose which ones we go after. We have court orders for each one,&#8221; he added.
While Rubio <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/04/rubio-explains-how-us-might-run-venezuela-after-maduros-ouster-.html">assured Stephanopoulos</a> that the United States would keep all options on the table — including additional military action, should the Trump administration deem it necessary — he said that the goal was to bring Venezuela around using sanctions and the leverage that came with them.
&#8220;What’s going to happen here is we have a quarantine on their oil. That means their economy will not be able to move forward until the conditions that are in the national interest of the United States and the interests of the Venezuelan people are met, and that’s what we intend to do,” Rubio explained. “That leverage remains, that leverage is ongoing and we expect that it’s going to lead to results here.&#8221;
Rubio made a similar statement on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; telling host Kristen Welker that the United States was using leverage to effect policy changes, not taking control of the nation&#8217;s government.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> on &#8220;running&#8221; Venezuela: &#8220;It&#8217;s running POLICY&#8230; We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction because not only do we think it&#8217;s good for the people of Venezuela, it&#8217;s in our national interest.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Y3oA2YNiar">pic.twitter.com/Y3oA2YNiar</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007821006161817788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;It&#8217;s running POLICY,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We want Venezuela to move in a certain direction because not only do we think it&#8217;s good for the people of Venezuela, it&#8217;s in our national interest.&#8221;

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies on the 2026 Budget In House Hearing

‘It’s About Policy’: Rubio Says Plans To ‘Run’ Venezuela Don’t Include U.S. Government Control

'It's About Policy': Rubio Says Plans To 'Run' Venezuela Don't Include Direct Government Control

Global Politics

marco rubio

Nicolas Maduro

venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration has prepared additional sanctions it could use to target key areas of Russia&#8217;s economy if President Vladimir Putin continues to delay ending Moscow&#8217;s war in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter.
U.S. officials have also told European counterparts that they support the EU using frozen Russian assets to buy U.S. weapons for Kyiv, and Washington has held nascent internal conversations about leveraging Russian assets held in the U.S. to support Ukraine&#8217;s war effort, two U.S. officials said.
While it is not clear whether Washington will actually carry out any of those moves in the immediate term, it shows there is a well-developed toolkit within the administration to up the ante further after Trump imposed sanctions on Russia on Wednesday for the first time since returning to office in January.
Trump has positioned himself as a global peacemaker, but has admitted that trying to end Russia&#8217;s more-than-three-year war in neighboring Ukraine has proven harder than he had anticipated.
European allies &#8211; buffeted by Trump&#8217;s swings between accommodation and anger toward Putin &#8211; hope he keeps upping the pressure on Moscow, and are also mulling major actions of their own.
One senior U.S. official told Reuters that he would like to see European allies make the next big Russia move, which could be additional sanctions or tariffs. A separate source with knowledge of internal administration dynamics said Trump was likely to hit pause for a few weeks and gauge Russia&#8217;s reaction to Wednesday&#8217;s sanctions announcement.
Those sanctions took aim at oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft. The moves spiked oil prices by more than $2 and sent major Chinese and Indian buyers of Russian crude looking for alternatives.
Some of the additional sanctions the U.S. has prepared are geared toward Russia&#8217;s banking sector and the infrastructure used to get oil to market, said a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter.
Last week, Ukrainian officials pitched the U.S. with new sanctions activity, said one source with knowledge of those conversations. Among the specific ideas put forward were measures to cut off all Russian banks from the dollar-based system with U.S. counterparts, two sources said. It is not clear, however, how seriously Ukraine&#8217;s specific requests are under consideration.
The U.S. Senate is also making moves, with some lawmakers renewing a push to get a long-stalled bipartisan sanctions bill over the line.
The person with knowledge of internal administration dynamics said Trump is open to endorsing the package. The source warned, though, that such an endorsement is unlikely this month.
The Treasury Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, said on Friday he believes his country, the United States and Ukraine are close to a diplomatic solution to end Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine.
Halyna Yusypiuk, Ukrainian Embassy spokesperson in Washington, said the recent sanctions decision was appreciated, but did not otherwise comment.
&#8220;Dismantling Russia&#8217;s war machine is the most humane way to bring this war to an end,&#8221; Yusypiuk wrote in an email.
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
Trump&#8217;s decision to hit Russia with sanctions capped a tumultuous week with respect to the administration&#8217;s Ukraine policy.
Trump spoke with Putin last week and then announced the pair planned to meet in Budapest, catching Ukraine off guard.
A day later Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Washington, where U.S. officials pressed Zelenskiy to give up territory in the Donbas region as part of a lopsided land swap to end the war. Zelenskiy pushed back, and Trump left the meeting with the position that the conflict should be frozen at its frontlines.
Then last weekend Russia sent a diplomatic note to Washington reiterating previous peace terms. A few days later Trump told reporters the planned meeting with Putin was off because &#8220;it just didn&#8217;t feel right to me.&#8221;
Speaking to CNN on Friday after arriving in Washington for talks with U.S. officials, Dmitriev said a meeting between Trump and Putin had not been cancelled, as the U.S. president described it, and that the two leaders will likely meet at a later date.
Trump ultimately decided to slap Russia with sanctions during a Wednesday meeting with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a senior White House official said.
Behind the scenes, Ukraine got an apparent U.S. boost after the U.S. approval process for providing targeting data for long-range Ukrainian strikes in Russia was moved to U.S. European Command in Germany &#8211; viewed by U.S. and European officials as more hawkish on Russia &#8211; from the Pentagon in Washington, according to a U.S. and a European official.
However, Trump has said he was still not ready to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, which Kyiv has requested.
The U.S. is also putting pressure on Europe to further tighten the financial screws on Moscow. In announcing the U.S. sanctions, Bessent pushed the EU to follow. Broadly speaking, U.S. officials have criticized EU and NATO countries for not taking more decisive steps to stand up to Russia.
It will be more difficult, though, for the EU to unleash full-blocking sanctions on Lukoil than it is for the U.S., one senior EU official argued, given how heavily entangled Lukoil is with Europe&#8217;s economy. The oil company owns refineries in Bulgaria and Romania and has a robust retail gas station network throughout the continent.
&#8220;I think we need to find a way to disengage&#8230;before we can fully sanction,&#8221; the EU official said.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery and Steve Holland in Washington and Max Hunder in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Jonathan Landay and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Julia Payne in Brussels; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Diane Craft)

US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-SUMMIT-TRUMP-PUTIN

U.S. Eyeing Further Sanctions On Russia, But First Wants Europe To Amp Up Pressure

europe

Ukraine-Russia War

The United States placed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies on Wednesday after plans for an expected meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin fell through.
The sanctions, the first the Trump administration has leveled against Russia since taking over the White House in January, are a signal that the president has run short on patience with Moscow. Trump has called for the battle lines to be frozen in Ukraine and for the two sides to meet for peace talks.
The sanctions target Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil and dozens of their subsidiaries, but will likely have little direct impact on the money that flows into Russia’s treasury from its substantial energy industry. While the United States did billions of dollars worth of <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/14/europe/us-europe-trade-business-with-russia-intl">trade</a> with Russia last year, the majority of that was for fertilizer, precious metals, uranium, and plutonium.
The sanctions package is a signal to other countries purchasing Russian oil and natural gas that the Trump administration may soon crack down on buyers, as well.
“[E]ngaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions,” the <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0290">announcement</a> from the Treasury Department states. “[The Treasury] can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.”
China remains one of Moscow&#8217;s largest buyers for energy, though India, another major purchaser of Russian oil, has already promised to cut back its reliance on Russian energy.
The European Union <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/eu-approves-19th-package-russian-sanctions-including-lng-ban-2025-10-22/">joined</a> the United States with a sanctions package targeting Russian energy, as well, including Rosneft. The E.U. sanctions package may bring more direct pain to Moscow’s coffers because of the increased reliance of Europe on Russian oil and natural gas exports.
“Appreciated this evening’s call with [Bessent] and the Treasury decision to sanction major Russian oil companies in the face of Russia’s lack of commitment to the peace process,” said E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a <a href="https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1981109768581243195">post</a> on X. “With the imminent adoption of the EU’s 19th package, this is a clear signal from both sides of the Atlantic that we will keep up collective pressure on the aggressor.”
The United Kingdom approved a similar sanctions package on Russian energy last week in what has become a wave of financial penalties targeting Russia’s most important export industry.

Donald Trump

Trump’s Sanctioning Russian Energy. Here’s What To Know.

What To Know About Trump’s Sanctions Package On Russian Energy

Department of the Treasury

united states

The Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, targeting the country&#8217;s two largest oil companies that &#8220;fund the Kremlin’s war machine.&#8221;
The sanctions target Open Joint Stock Company Rosneft Oil Company, Lukoil OAO, and dozens of their subsidiaries. In a <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0290">press release</a>, the Trump administration said the sanctions were necessary because of &#8220;Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.&#8221;
“Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine. Treasury is prepared to take further action if necessary to support President Trump’s effort to end yet another war. We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.”
Just before the sanctions were announced, Bessent discussed the move in an interview on Fox Business on Wednesday afternoon,  saying it will be &#8220;one of the largest sanctions that we have done against the Russian Federation.&#8221;
&#8220;President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we&#8217;d hoped,&#8221; he added. &#8220;There were talks in Alaska. President Trump walked away when he realized that things were not moving forward. There have been behind-the-scenes talks, but I believe that the president is disappointed at where we are in these talks.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &#8220;President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we&#8217;d hoped&#8230; we are going to be announcing a substantial increase in Russia sanctions&#8230; one of the largest sanctions that we have done against the Russian Federation.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/V4I8lg1WJi">pic.twitter.com/V4I8lg1WJi</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981091320513835262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
U.S. sanctions on Russia come as the European Union approved the 19th batch of sanctions against Moscow on Wednesday, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/eu-approves-19th-package-russian-sanctions-including-lng-ban-2025-10-22/">reported</a>. The latest E.U. sanctions package includes a ban on liquefied natural gas imports from Russia. The sanctions will end short-term liquefied natural gas contracts with Russian companies after six months, while long-term contracts will end beginning on January 1, 2027.
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In July, Trump threatened to punish Russia with sanctions if it did not agree to end the war within 50 days. After meeting with Putin in Alaska in August, Trump said he was still considering &#8220;very serious&#8221; sanctions on Russia.
The Trump administration finally moved forward with sanctions after a planned second summit with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-trump-putin-summit-in-doubt-after-rubio-talks-with-russian-foreign-minister">placed on hold</a> on Tuesday. Trump had a &#8220;lengthy&#8221; <a href="about:blank">call</a> with Putin last Thursday, after which he announced that he would meet with the Russian dictator for another round of peace talks in Budapest in the near future. On Tuesday, the White House said that following a call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, “there are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future.”
Trump commented on the summit in the Oval Office later on Tuesday, leaving the door open for a meeting with Putin, but adding, “I don’t want to have a wasted meeting. I don’t want to have a waste of time.”
Trump also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, one day after his call with Putin, to discuss next steps in the peace negotiations. Zelensky has long been asking the United States for Tomahawk missiles, which would allow Kyiv to fire at targets deep inside Russia, but Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-zelensky-meeting-trump-indicates-he-is-not-ready-to-give-ukraine-tomahawk-missiles">suggested</a> during the meeting with Zelensky that he wasn’t ready to provide Ukraine with the long-range cruise missiles.

Vladimir Putin/Donald Trump

Trump Ramps Up Pressure On Putin, Hits Russian Oil Companies With Sanctions

trump administration

U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is prepared to impose economic sanctions against Russia if its president, Vladimir Putin, fails to agree to a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very, very serious what I have in mind, if I have to do it, but I want to see it end,&#8221; Trump told a reporter who asked if Putin would face consequences. &#8220;We have economic sanctions. I&#8217;m talking about economic because we&#8217;re not going to get into a world war.&#8221;
The president has withheld long-threatened sanctions against Putin in his latest push to end the more than three-year-long war that has so far defied his efforts at mediation.
Trump is seeking one-on-one talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. Though Zelensky has agreed in principle to such talks, Putin has not. The Kremlin has suggested no such meeting is currently on the cards.
&#8220;It will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war,&#8221; Trump said at a White House Cabinet meeting. &#8220;An economic war is going to be bad, and it&#8217;s going to be bad for Russia, and I don&#8217;t want that.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;Zelensky is not exactly innocent, either.&#8221;
Despite slow diplomatic progress, U.S. and European officials have been discussing potential security guarantees that Washington might provide Kyiv after a hypothetical deal is reached, potentially including support by air or intelligence sharing.
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Trump has long suggested using economic tools as leverage against warring nations. He is preparing to slap 25% more in tariffs on India&#8217;s U.S.-bound exports on Wednesday over New Delhi&#8217;s Russian oil buying.
India is one of the biggest consumers of Russian oil.
Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was open to &#8220;using a very strong tariff system that&#8217;s very costly to Russia or Ukraine&#8221; to make peace.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams).

U.S. President Trump And Russian  President Putin Meet On War In Ukraine At U.S. Air Base In Alaska

Trump Still Weighing ‘Very Serious’ Economic Sanctions On Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed a threat to impose sanctions on Russia on Friday if there is no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine in two weeks, showing frustration at Moscow a week after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to make a decision as to what we do and it&#8217;s going to be, it&#8217;s going to be a very important decision, and that&#8217;s whether or not it&#8217;s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both, or we do nothing and say it&#8217;s your fight,&#8221; Trump said.
He was unhappy about Russia&#8217;s deadly strike on a factory in Ukraine this week, he said.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not happy about it, and I&#8217;m not happy about anything having to do with that war,&#8221; Trump told reporters at the White House.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, said on Friday that Russia was doing everything it could to prevent a meeting between him and Putin, while Russia&#8217;s foreign minister said the agenda for such a meeting was not ready.
Zelensky has repeatedly called for Putin to meet him, saying it is the only way to negotiate an end to the war.
Trump had said he had begun the arrangements for a Putin-Zelensky meeting after a call with the Russian leader on Monday that followed their Alaska meeting on August 15.
Zelensky accused Russia of stalling.
&#8220;The meeting is one of the components of how to end the war,&#8221; he said on Friday at a press conference in Kyiv with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. &#8220;And since they don&#8217;t want to end it, they will look for space to (avoid it).&#8221;
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told NBC there was no agenda for such a summit.
&#8220;Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda would be ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,&#8221; he said.
The statement echoed Moscow&#8217;s established rhetoric about a leaders&#8217; meeting being impossible unless certain conditions were met.
Asked for his response to Lavrov&#8217;s comments and what the next steps are, Trump told reporters earlier on Friday: &#8220;Well, we&#8217;ll see. We&#8217;re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together. It&#8217;s like oil and vinegar a little bit.&#8221;
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Trump had taken sanctions off the table in preparation for his summit in Anchorage with Putin. But at the same White House event where he mentioned possible sanctions, he showed a photograph of his meeting with Putin on the red carpet in Alaska, saying Putin wanted to attend the World Cup 2026 soccer tournament in the United States.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to sign this for him. But I was sent one, and I thought you would like to see it, it&#8217;s a man named Vladimir Putin, who I believe will be coming, depending on what happens. He may be coming, and he may not, depending on what happens,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump&#8217;s comments did not address the fact that Russia was banned from international competitions such as the World Cup after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and has not taken part in qualification for the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
During a visit to a nuclear research center on Friday, Putin said Trump&#8217;s leadership qualities would help restore U.S.-Russia relations.
&#8220;With the arrival of President Trump, I think that a light at the end of the tunnel has finally loomed. And now we had a very good, meaningful and frank meeting in Alaska,&#8221; Putin said.
Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Russia launched in 2022. Analysts estimate that more than a million soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded and fighting is continuing unabated, with both sides also attacking energy facilities.
Russia has maintained its longstanding demand for Ukraine to give up land it still holds in two eastern regions while proposing to freeze the front line in two more southerly regions Moscow claims fully as its own and possibly hand back small pieces of other Ukrainian territory it controls.
Zelensky meanwhile has dropped his demand for a lengthy ceasefire as a prerequisite for a leaders&#8217; meeting, although he has previously said Ukraine cannot negotiate under the barrel of a gun.
At the press conference with Rutte, Zelensky said they had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine. He said the guarantees ought to be similar to NATO&#8217;s Article 5, which considers an attack on one member of the alliance as an attack against all.
Rutte said NATO allies and Ukraine are working together to ensure security guarantees are strong enough that Russia will never try to attack again.
&#8220;Robust security guarantees will be essential, and this is what we are now working on to define,&#8221; he said.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Sabine Siebold, Steve Holland, Andrea Shalal and Jonathan Spicer; Writing by Max Hunder and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Philippa Fletcher, Rosalba O&#8217;Brien and Daniel Wallis)

With No Ukraine Peace Deal, Trump Again Threatens Russia Sanctions

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