Sanctions

President Donald Trump, joined by Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other lawmakers, holds up an executive order after signing a series of bills related to California’s vehicle emissions standards during an event in the East Room of the White House on June 12, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Trump signs executive order ending decades-old Syria sanctions

The sweeping directive unwinds layers of sanctions but maintains Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Bank Sepah

Cyberattack strikes Iranian bank with ties to IRGC: What we know

The hacker group that claims to be behind the attack said it targeted the bank over its role in financing Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images

France blocks Israeli weapons display at Paris airshow: What to know

After their exclusion from the Eurosatory and Euronaval fairs, Israeli armament companies have now been prevented from participating in the Bourget defense show in Paris.

(L to R) Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli far-right lawmaker and leader of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish power) party, and Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli far-right lawmaker and leader of the Religious Zionist Party, attend a rally with supporters in the southern Israeli city of Sderot on Oct. 26, 2022.

Breaking | Last Updated: June 10, 2025, 12:11 pm

UK, Australia, Canada sanction Israel’s Ben-Gvir, Smotrich for inciting violence

Both far-right Israeli ministers will have their assets frozen and face travel bans.

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Trump to sign sweeping order rescinding Syria sanctions

People queue in front of a teller next to a pile of banknotes of different currencies at a commercial bank affiliated with Syria's central bank in Damascus on December 16, 2024. Governments worldwide are stepping up efforts to engage with Syria's new interim rulers, just over a week after Islamist-led rebels ousted president Bashar al-Assad, ending decades of brutal rule and civil war. (Photo by Louai Beshara / AFP) / "The erroneous CAPTION appearing in the metadata of this photo by Louai Beshara has been

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Syria to rejoin SWIFT payment system ‘within a few weeks’: What to know

People queue to use ATM machines outside a bank in Damascus on Dec. 16, 2024.

Rubio announces sanctions on ICC judges over US, Israel probes

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during the American Compass New World Gala at the National Building Museum on June 3, 2025 in Washington.

EU sanctions Sunni factions accused of violence against Syria’s Alawites, Kurds

A handout picture from the Syrian state news agency SANA showing members of the security forces in Syria's coastal region

A cleric wearing a protective face mask, following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks on the street in Qom, Iran March 24, 2020. Picture taken March 24, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2BWF9C9CN1

Iran extends closure of religious sites amid pandemic

While gradually reopening much of the economy amid lowering coronavirus-related mortalities, the Iranian government has extended a shutdown of religious sites nationwide.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, wearing face masks as protection against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), meet in Damascus, Syria, in this handout released by SANA on April 20, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE - RC2C8G9VK2MV

Iranian FM meets with Syria’s Assad amid coronavirus pandemic

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meets with his counterpart Walid Moallem and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as Turkey accuses Syria of breaking the cease-fire in Idlib province.

Intel: Trump tasks Pompeo with determining whether to lift Cyprus arms embargo

Donald Trump tapped Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to determine whether to lift the decades-old US arms embargo on the disputed island of Cyprus, something Turkey has sought to forestall.

Coronavirus resurging in Iran hotspots amid partial reopening

At least three Iranian provinces are experiencing a resurgence of the coronavirus after the government partially relaxed lockdown measures.

A man wearing a protective face mask, following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), sits at a bus stop in Qom, Iran March 24, 2020. Picture taken March 24, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2BWF9JVDZM

COVID-19 pandemic intensifies Iran sanctions debate

Iran hawks are doubling down on sanctions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and Democrats can’t agree on how much relief the United States should give Iran.

A woman wears a protective face mask and gloves, amid fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as she sells the masks in Tajrish square in Tehran, Iran April 2, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Ali Khara via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2DWF9I0AKY

Intel: US comes out against emergency COVID-19 IMF loan for Iran

The United States opposes Iran’s request for a $5 billion emergency loan request from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it cope with the coronavirus pandemic, Al-Monitor has learned.

A volunteer from Basij forces wearing a protective suit and face mask sprays disinfectant as he sanitizes a bus station, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fears, in Tehran, Iran April 3, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Ali Khara via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2YWF9PA44V

Intel: Iran accuses US of blocking IMF loan request to fight coronavirus

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council publicly accused the United States on Sunday of blocking Iran’s request for a $5 million emergency loan request from the International Monetary Fund to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the country.

A woman wearing a protective face mask and gloves walks past the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine, amid fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tehran, Iran April 2, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Ali Khara via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2DWF9GIRD0

Intel: Iran sanctions debate highlights fissure between Democratic hawks, progressives

The debate over how to respond to President Donald Trump’s sanctions regime against Iran in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is creating a fissure between the hawkish and the left wings of the Democratic party.

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN's Washington studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - HP1EG3G058XET

Intel: Joe Biden uses coronavirus crisis to push for Iran sanctions relief

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the overwhelming favorite to become the Democratic presidential nominee, came out in favor of humanitarian sanctions relief for Iran to help the embattled country cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) questions judicial nominees during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 4, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC2HOD9HX7RA

Key Trump ally blasts administration for extending Iran nuclear waivers

The Donald Trump administration is casting the renewal of four civil nuclear waivers as “restrictions” on Iran’s nuclear program, but Sen. Ted Cruz argues that they enable Tehran.

Iran's Zarif says fighting COVID-19 a global effort

Iran warns the combination of US sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic makes global cooperation imperative to fighting the virus in Iran.

TEHRAN, IRAN - MARCH 26: Health officials check body temperature of drivers and passengers at the entrance of the capital Tehran as travel ban across the country was issued within the precaution against coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in Tehran, Iran on March 26, 2020. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Iran enlists Pakistan for support against sanctions as pandemic spreads

Iran’s inability to contain the spread of the coronavirus within its borders is endangering the Middle East region and beyond.