US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Republican lawmakers are preparing legislation that would impose sweeping sanctions on countries conducting business with Russia, with Iran potentially included in the scope of the measures.
Trump told reporters the bill under discussion would target “any country doing business with Russia” and said he had encouraged lawmakers to broaden it. Trump made the remarks before boarding Air Force One in Florida.
“The Republicans are putting in legislation that – very tough. It's sanctioning, et cetera, et cetera, on any country doing business with Russia,” he said. “They may add Iran to that, as you know. I suggested it.”
The prospect of Iran being added to US secondary sanctions comes as Tehran faces intense diplomatic and economic pressure following the June conflict with Israel and renewed scrutiny over its nuclear and regional activities.
Iran has already been hit by multiple rounds of US sanctions on its banking, energy and defense sectors over the past decade.
US senators have in recent weeks revived efforts to advance a long-delayed bipartisan sanctions package that seeks to penalize countries purchasing Russian oil and gas and restrict international companies operating in Russia’s energy industry.
The renewed push follows continued Western efforts to tighten economic pressure on Moscow more than three years into the Ukraine war.
Tehran has deepened economic links with Moscow in recent years, including cooperation on energy, banking, and military industries.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref traveled to Moscow on Monday at the head of a senior government delegation to attend and deliver a speech at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
He departed Tehran in the morning with several ministers and officials, saying before the trip that nearly 10 bilateral documents were prepared to be signed during the visit.
