U.S. Senate Advances Sanctions Bill Targeting Russian-Iranian Oil Buyers

The U.S. Senate has advanced a bill aimed at sanctioning countries that buy oil from Russia and Iran, including major buyers such as India and China.

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed the cloture motion with an overwhelming majority of 86-12 votes on Tuesday (July 28, 2026), allowing President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on these countries.

The bill targets Russian officials, oligarchs, and banks, as well as actors supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. It also allows the president to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas.

According to Senator Richard Blumenthal, the bill is carefully crafted to ensure that it does not hit U.S. allies and instead targets China and India, which are the main buyers of Russian oil and gas. The bill also extends the Iran Sanctions Act for an additional five years, keeping critical secondary restrictions in place until 2031.