July 30, 2026 | Endorsements
S. 5025, Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026
July 30, 2026 Endorsements
S. 5025, Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026
Bottom Line Up Front
S. 5025, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, mandates sanctions against Russian government officials, financial institutions, and entities connected to Russia’s defense and energy sectors. The legislation also prohibits U.S. persons from investing in Russia, buying its sovereign debt, or exporting energy products to Russia. Additionally, it provides the President with the authority to impose tariffs on the top five importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, as well as the top five facilitators of Russia’s sanctions evasion. The President may only terminate these measures if Russia reaches and upholds a peace agreement with Ukraine, subject to congressional review. The bill also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through 2031, preventing a lapse in the authority that restricts funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors.
Bill Information
Click here to read the full legislative text and view the list of cosponsors.
FDD Action Expert Analysis
“Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin and his cronies have refused to negotiate in good faith or back away from their unrealistic, maximalist, and often baffling demands. That is why the United States must ramp up the pressure on Russia to end its genocidal campaign in Ukraine and stall its war machine. Few understood this reality better than Senator Lindsey Graham, who tirelessly fought to make the Sanctioning Russia Act into law. Now, his colleagues must take up the mantle to drain Russia’s coffers and make its allies reconsider their support. FDD Action urges all members of Congress to support the legislation and to pass it swiftly.”
Associate Director for Government Relations, FDD Action
What You Need to Know
- Energy exports bankroll Russia’s war: Russia’s ability to fund its war machine depends heavily on continued energy export revenue, the backbone of Moscow’s federal budget. Despite the G7 price cap and other restrictions on Russian oil and gas sales, loopholes and evasion tactics have allowed significant revenue to continue flowing to Moscow. In the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, China, India, and Turkey accounted for 93 percent of Russia’s crude oil exports, and they remain hubs for evading sanctions on Russian energy.
- Mandating sanctions on Russia’s war machine: The bill requires the President to impose mandatory sanctions on senior Russian officials, oligarchs, and state-owned enterprises, along with major financial institutions such as the Central Bank of Russia, Sberbank, VTB Bank, and Gazprombank. It also targets Russia’s largest state energy projects and the shadow fleet Moscow uses to move oil and evade sanctions.
- Narrow, conduct-based tariffs: The legislation authorizes tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas and the top five facilitators of sanctions evasion. Those duties apply only to countries that make new Russian energy purchases 30 days or more after enactment, so a country that stops buying is not covered. A rule of construction bars applying the tariffs to any country the bill does not expressly cover.
- Protecting European allies: Because the tariffs apply to individual countries rather than the EU as a bloc, and because a carve-out exempts countries whose Russian gas imports fall below 15 percent of Russia’s total gas exports and that are cutting those imports, European partners still weaning off Russian energy are shielded. The bill also lets the President treat UK, EU, G7, or Five Eyes designations as evidence when identifying shadow-fleet vessels.
- Mandatory, hard-to-unwind sanctions: The bill directs that the President shall impose the listed measures, and any waiver requires a written national-interest certification to Congress. It also codifies the existing executive-order sanctions architecture, including current designations, so the regime cannot be quietly revoked. Termination is conditioned on Russia signing and upholding a peace agreement accepted by Ukraine, subject to a congressional review period.
- Extending Iran sanctions authority: A provision added on July 28 extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, moving its expiration from 2026 to 2031. This keeps in place the authority that restricts funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors, which has drawn bipartisan support for three decades.
Congressional Press Releases
Read statements from members of Congress who are supporting this legislation:
- → Shaheen Joins Blumenthal and Darline Graham to Hold Purchasers of Russian Oil Accountable
- → Blumenthal & Darline Graham Introduce Legislation to Hold Purchasers of Russian Oil Accountable
- → Wicker, Darline Graham, Blumenthal, and Shaheen Introduce Sanctions Legislation
- → Budd Joins 60+ Colleagues in Leading Sanctions Package Holding Russia Accountable
- → Bipartisan Group of Senators Announce Agreement to Move Forward on Sanctions Legislation
- → Chairman Wicker Speaks in Support of Sen. Graham’s Russia-Iran Sanctions Bill
See more national security bills backed by FDD Action.
View the tracker →About FDD Action
FDD Action is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that works directly with policymakers to advocate for a robust U.S. foreign policy — one that strengthens U.S. national security, does damage to America’s adversaries, and supports allies and partners. FDD Action serves as a trusted resource for congressional offices and executive branch policymakers navigating complex national security challenges, leveraging a team with decades of experience on Capitol Hill and in the policy arena.