Trump’s Iran demand threatens to delay Graham’s sweeping Russia sanctions bill

Passage of the Russia sanctions bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, could now be delayed until late in the year.

The House cannot begin considering the measure until lawmakers return from summer recess in September. Fast-track passage in the Senate would also require unanimous consent from all 100 senators, creating another major obstacle.

One source told Politico that the bill might not pass until the end of the year.

The legislation could face further complications because Trump wants it expanded to cover Iran.

“I’d like them to add Iran to the list of those subject to tariffs, not just sanctions. I think that’s important. That’s what Lindsey wanted,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump’s proposal has raised concerns among Democrats. They fear the president’s broad authority to impose tariffs could be used not only to pressure Russia or Iran but also as leverage against U.S. allies.

Disputes over presidential authority have already derailed previous versions of the bill, Politico reported.

Ukraine, however, wants the measure passed as quickly as possible because sanctions will take time to become fully effective after they are imposed. With the war dragging on, every delay matters.

Graham-Blumenthal Russia sanctions bill

A bill imposing new sanctions on Russia was introduced in the U.S. Senate in early April 2025. It called for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continued buying Russian oil and other raw materials. Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal co-sponsored the legislation.

Graham announced at a news conference in Kyiv on July 10, 2026, that he had reached an agreement with the White House on a new version of the bill. It would authorize Trump to impose tariffs and sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil and gas and thereby provide financial support to Vladimir Putin’s regime.

The measure would extend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through 2031. It would also authorize the president to impose a blanket 500% tariff on Russian goods imported into the United States and an additional 100% tariff on the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas or on countries that help circumvent sanctions.

Graham died in Washington on July 11 following a sudden health crisis. Medical examiners determined that an aortic dissection associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease caused his death.

A White House representative told CNN on July 13 that Trump would support passage of the bipartisan sanctions package introduced by Graham.

The White House had previously sought to impose sanctions on Russia but granted several temporary exemptions involving oil sales after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war with Iran tightened the global oil market.

Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods last year over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian energy but later lifted it to secure a broader U.S.-India trade agreement. China, one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, avoided similar sanctions altogether because Trump sought to prevent trade tensions with Beijing from escalating.

The Senate held its first procedural vote on the Russia and Iran sanctions bill championed by Graham on July 28. Eighty-six senators backed the measure.