Trump Signs Russia-Iran Sanctions Law With 100% Tariff Threat — SkimNews
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- Trump signed H.R. 5334, the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," into law on September 18, 2026, with the law set to take effect within 30 days.
- The legislation authorizes duties of up to 100% on goods imported from countries among the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas by volume during the 12 months before enactment, explicitly naming China and India as potential targets.
- Russia faces expanded sanctions on its leadership, energy sector, defense industry collaborators, and "shadow fleet," while existing sanctions on Iran are extended.
- The bill gives Trump wide discretion over implementation, including which countries face tariffs, the rates imposed, and whether sanctions provisions are waived.
- Countries can be exempted from gas-related duties if their Russian gas imports accounted for less than 15% of Russia's total exports and they have taken "significant steps" to reduce those imports.
- The law also targets vessel owners, operators, managers, insurers, and other foreign persons involved in supporting Russian energy production or sanctions evasion.
Why it matters: The legislation hands Trump wide discretion to impose up to 100% tariffs on China and India for their Russian energy purchases, with the law taking effect within 30 days. The 15% gas-import exemption threshold offers a narrow escape path, but the default trajectory points toward sharply reduced Russian energy demand from its two largest non-European buyers.
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