Sanctions

A man walks past a mural depicting slain commander of the IRGC's Quds Force Qasem Soleimani in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 26, 2024.

Iran defense chief visits Venezuela, talks energy, trade: What we know

Iran and Venezuela are working to repair oil ties after the reimposition of US sanctions on the South American country and the looming return of President Donald Trump to the White House.

Israeli settlers walk through a street in Hebron's old city. Security is reinforced for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, West Bank, on Oct. 22, 2024.

US unveils new West Bank sanctions amid calls to target Israeli ministers

The latest sanctions come after nearly 90 Democratic lawmakers urged the administration to penalize Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Iran, Russia link payment networks in bid to bypass sanctions

The financial partnership connects the national payment frameworks, aiming to boost trade and tourism between the two sanctioned nations — yet key challenges remain.

Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 22, 2024.

Iran's Pezeshkian slams Israel at start of BRICS summit in Russia

The summit in the Russian city of Kazan is the first since Iran, Egypt and the UAE joined BRICS as full members.

Latest News

Analysis

How an Israeli retaliation on Iran could impact Gulf energy flow

A man walks across from a raging fire at oil storage tanks a day after Israeli strikes on the port of Yemen's Houthi-held city of Hodeidah on July 21, 2024.

Jennifer Gnana

By Jennifer Gnana

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

Turkey’s Erdogan calls for end to US defense sanctions amid reports of S-400 deal

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Sign up to our Daily Briefing

Keep up with Al-Monitor's top stories with a morning digest from across the region.

UK halts 30 arms export licenses to Israel, citing Gaza concerns

Pro-Israel demonstrators stage a counterprotest around an Oxfam installation.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist , Jack Dutton

Analysis

Even as Erdogan befriends Putin, Turkey and Ukraine ink major free trade deal

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Can EU's fear of terrorists give Turkey clout in ocean drilling?

Following his threats to flood Europe with Syrian refugees, the Turkish president is now trying to use Islamic State suspects as leverage.

A missile made by Revolutionary Guard is mounted on a Chinese helicopter during the 6th exhibition of aviation industry in Tehran, Iran, November 25, 2015. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - GF20000073553

Report: Iran likely to buy Russian and Chinese arms

Tehran will likely look to Russia and China to purchase advanced weapons when a UN arms embargo against the country expires next year, a senior defense intelligence official said Nov. 19.

US sanctions send Iranians to Turkey in droves

Turkey has continued to attract a steady trickle of economic migrants and asylum seekers from Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner? - RC2HAD9VX4UB

Absent new agreements, Trump-Erdogan meeting ends with pledge to work together

US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Washington to rebuild US-Turkish relations without setting a clear path for progress.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan shake hands at the end of a joint news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC2LAD9PASW2

Erdogan’s US welcome sparks fear Trump will halt Turkey sanctions

As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the White House today amid protest from Congress, aides in Congress and experts lose faith that President Donald Trump will impose automatic sanctions on Turkey for taking delivery of a Russian air defense system over four months ago.

Trump’s amity with Erdogan deepens Turkey’s isolation

The double blow the US House dealt Turkey over its military campaign in Syria shows how wrong Erdogan is to rely solely on his personal relationship with Trump to manage ties with the United States.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) arrives to hear testimony from U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland behind closed-doors, as part of the impeachment inquiry led by the House Intelligence, House Foreign Affairs and House Oversight and Reform Committees in Washington, U.S., October 17, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott - RC1A8883F250

Congress hammers Turkey with sanctions and Armenian genocide votes

Still outraged by Turkey’s Syria incursion, Congress votes to sanction Turkey and recognize the Armenian genocide.

Turkish soldiers patrol along a wall on the border line between Turkey and Syria, in the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan - RC1AB07BD360

Kurds use Syria incursion to chip away at Erdogan

The Syrian Democratic Forces, after having contributed to the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as well as an IS spokesman, push for a greater US condemnation of Turkey's latest incursion into Syria.

A man walks away from the U.S Treasury Department in Washington, U.S., August 6, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder - RC1FD03EA500

Sanctions experts say new US Treasury measure could inhibit humanitarian trade with Iran

The US Treasury's new Iran "humanitarian" mechanism is seen by experts as a tool to inform new sanctions on the country.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), joined by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), announces a bipartisan agreement on Turkey sanctions during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 17, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott - RC173EAD1F90

Congress doubles down on bipartisan Turkey sanctions after Trump’s victory lap

Trump may have lifted sanctions on Turkey, but Democrats and Republicans alike still want to slap Ankara with their own stringent sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the conflict in Syria with Vice President Mike Pence at his side in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner - RC1C5194D700

Trump hails Syria ‘breakthrough,’ lifts sanctions on Turkey

President Donald Trump hailed an apparent Turkish decision to halt a military offensive in Syria as a major breakthrough and said now the United States was getting out.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the conflict in Syria as Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien stand by in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner - RC1CA1D434F0

Weakened US sanctions threat lingers in wake of Turkish deal with Russia

Possible US sanctions on Turkey are looming as fighting subsides in northeast Syria and Kurdish forces draw back following an agreement between Ankara and Moscow.