Sanctions

US imposes sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Revolutionary Armed Forces Ministry

Thursday's action against Diaz-Canel is the latest by Washington to intensify pressure on the island's communist leaders.

Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel waves a Cuban flag alongwith others during a march outside the U.S. Embassy to protest against what they denounce as U.S. aggression in the region, following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the killing of Cuban soldiers on January 16, 2026.
Bitcoins are seen on the background of the Iranian flag (illustrative)

US sanctions Iran's largest crypto exchange over IRGC links

French Navy personnel approach an oil tanker, subject to international sanctions and sailing from Russia, in the Atlantic Ocean, in this handout obtained by Reuters on June 1, 2026.

French Navy boards Russian oil tanker, obstructs Atlantic 'shadow-fleet'

Factories are silhouetted during sunset, in Handan, Hebei province, China April 7, 2026.

China issues sweeping new controls of overseas trade, counter sanctions with new restrictions


Israel exploited Assad govt's fall to impose expansionist, destabilizing project, Syrian FM claims

Syrian FM Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani accused Israel of pursuing expansionist goals and said Moscow aided Assad’s regime, as Syria rebuilds ties with China.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani attends a press conference at the Lebanese foreign ministry, in Beirut, October 10, 2025.

Erdogan pushes for sanctions, arms embargo in call to allies to lock Israel into Gaza ceasefire

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday that he would be opposed to any role for Turkish security forces in the Gaza Strip.

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the UN General Assembly last month. In an age when antisemitism and anti-Kurdish racism are used by states as political tools, solidarity and truth remain the final acts of resistance, the writer argues.

US imposes sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil

"We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement announcing the sanctions.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sits to testify before a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, June 11, 2025.

Iran slashes four zeros from its currency amid soaring inflation worsened by US-E3 sanctions

Iran’s parliament approved removing four digits from its currency, the Iranian Rial, to tackle hyperinflation, though economists warn the move is mostly symbolic.

Iranian Rial banknotes over a backdrop of the Iranian flag; illustration.

Sanctions, GPS jamming and quiet defiance shape life in Tehran

Amid post-war unrest, Iranians face daily hardships, balancing government pressures with a growing sense of change. Citizens remain uncertain about the future, yet cultural expressions persist.

An Iranian woman walks past a map of Iran in Tehran on October 13, 2025.

‘The birth of a new Syria’: US Congress repeals Caesar Act sanctions 

The Syrian government welcomed the decision and considered it “a launch toward a new stage of recovery.”

 People celebrate after US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, May 13, 2025.

Syria open for business as it eyes end to US sanctions - analysis

Syria is moving to capitalize on its new ties abroad.

 Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2025.

Ireland poised to blunt sanctions on Israel under corporate pressure, say sources

Ireland's government is one of the most outspoken critics of the war in Gaza, but, unlike others such as Spain, it hosts the European headquarters of some of the US's biggest companies.

People hold a banner with images of Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence Simon Harris and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, in Dublin, Ireland, May 17, 2025.

EU confirms it has reinstated sanctions against Iran

The sanctions included freezing the assets of the Iranian Central Bank and other Iranian banks, as well as travel bans on certain Iranian officials.

An illustration of enforcing sanctions on Iran.

Iran has little leverage on combatting nuclear sanctions after Israeli-US airstrikes - analysis

Despite Europe reimposing global sanctions, Iran has no active nuclear program after Israeli and US strikes, leaving Tehran with little leverage.

An illustration of sanctions being placed on Iran's nuclear program.