Ukrainian President Zelensky Says Lifting Sanctions on Russia Will Continue
Ukrainian President Zelensky stated publicly that the lifting of sanctions on Russia will continue, and said that the diesel deal is merely the first step.
Ukrainian President Zelensky stated publicly that the lifting of sanctions on Russia will continue, and said that the diesel deal is merely the first step.
According to a U.S. Central Command notice, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta is carrying out a maritime blockade mission against Iranian ports in regional waters. As of October 17, U.S. forces had requested 138 commercial vessels to reroute in order to ensure strict enforcement of the blockade.
According to X account @__Inty__, Iran has still shipped out some liquefied petroleum gas and aviation fuel despite a U.S. naval blockade. Since mid-July, at least 8 tankers carrying about 4.1 million barrels of Iranian LPG have left the Gulf of Oman, most heading first to Malaysia, with China the highly likely final destination; another tanker transported Iranian aviation fuel to Myanmar in September.
In response to China's sanctions against two officials from Taiwan's diplomatic allies, the U.S. State Department stated that the United States opposes China's coercive behavior and reiterated its concern for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
US military fighter jets used precision-guided missiles in the Gulf of Oman to strike a Panama-flagged Hong Kong shadow cargo ship that ignored US warnings and attempted to break through Iran's maritime blockade, leaving it disabled.
After Navi Pillay received the award, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against the International Criminal Court and criticized the institution for having become politicized.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said on a social media platform on October 1 that, due to the U.S. military blockade and mounting economic pressure on the Iranian regime, Tehran failed to export any crude oil in September.
On September 28, 2026, the U.S. Senate passed the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act (S.4009), a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Jeff Merkley, by unanimous consent. The bill requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions on foreign individuals who knowingly participate in, assist, or support China's forced organ harvesting, including freezing their U.S. assets, prohibiting transactions, and revoking or denying visas; it directs the Secretary of State to assess whether the Chinese government is systematically engaged in forced organ harvesting and to submit a special report to Congress; and it extends protections to Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, and other prisoners of conscience. The bill was subsequently sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has released a new wave of sanctions targeting nearly 60 entities, individuals, and vessels, including several companies in China and Hong Kong, alleging they provide support to Iran's nuclear and oil networks.
As of August 24, US Central Command has ordered 71 commercial vessels to change course, disabled 3 vessels, and boarded 2 vessels for inspection to ensure the enforcement of the maritime blockade against Iran.
The US Department of the Treasury announced that starting September 23, it will completely cut off the global operations of Iran's airlines, denying landing and fueling services, and will impose sanctions such as SWIFT expulsion on external entities assisting Iran.
Bessent stated on CNBC on September 21 that China's financial regulatory authorities have contacted the United States regarding the enforcement of Iran sanctions across aviation, maritime shipping, cryptocurrency, and gold sectors.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Select Committee Chairman Moolenaar sent a letter to the Department of the Treasury and the Secretary of State, calling for stronger sanctions on foreign personnel associated with Southeast Asian cyber scam centers.
According to a Reuters report on September 10, Iran is using a barter-like arrangement to convert some of its oil revenue into credit for purchasing Chinese goods, bypassing international banking payment channels.
On September 8, Huawei began its criminal trial in the Eastern District Federal Court in New York, facing multiple charges including racketeering, bank and telecommunications fraud, money laundering, and violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Huawei pleaded not guilty to all charges and said the case was politically motivated.