Category: sanctions

Canada to Impose Sanctions on Iran’s ‘Morality Police’ Amid Protest Clampdown

Canada will impose sanctions on those involved in the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, including Iran’s so-called “morality police,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says. In a press conference on Sept. 26, Trudeau announced that his government will levy new sanctions on Iran following the death of 22-year-old Amini, and the state’s violent clampdown on…


2 Turkish Banks Suspend Russian Mir Payments After US Sanctions

ISTANBUL—Turkish lenders Isbank and Denizbank have suspended use of Russian payment system Mir, the banks said on Monday, following a U.S. crackdown on those accused of helping Moscow skirt sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The moves, announced separately, came after Washington expanded its sanctions last week to include the head of the entity running…


European Gas Prices Jump as Putin Vows Use of ‘All Available Means’ in Fight Over Ukraine

European natural gas prices spiked as Russia amped up its war rhetoric with President Vladimir Putin announcing a “partial mobilization” of the military beginning Wednesday amid accusations of Western “nuclear blackmail” and setbacks for Russian forces in northeast Ukraine. Benchmark Dutch TTF gas futures are trading at €206.935, which have risen more than 6.5 percent…


China Sanctions CEOs of US Arms Firms Over Sales to Taiwan

The Chinese regime said on Sept. 16 that it is sanctioning top executives of two U.S. arms firms in retaliation for recently selling arms to Taiwan. The sanctions were imposed on Gregory J. Hayes, CEO of Raytheon Technologies Corporation, and Theodore Colbert, CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, for the involvement of their companies…


Taiwan Says New Lithuanian Office in Taipei Begins Operations

TAIPEI—Lithuania’s new representative office in Taiwan has already effectively begun operations though its physical location is still being fitted out, a senior Taiwanese diplomat said on Tuesday. The Chinese communist regime, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania and pressured multinationals to sever links with the Baltic nation of…


Russia Plans to Boost Asian Oil Sales Following Proposed G7 Price Cap

Moscow plans to increase its oil supply to the Asian markets in response to the G7’s proposed price caps, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov told reporters on Sept. 6. “Any actions to impose a price cap will lead to deficit on [initiating countries’] own markets and will increase price volatility,” Shulginov said, according to Reuters….


Gazprom Head Says ‘Sanctions Confusion’ Means Siemens Cannot Service Nord Stream 1: Interfax

MOSCOW—Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller on Wednesday said Western sanctions mean Siemens Energy is unable to carry out regular maintenance on equipment for the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline, Interfax news agency reported. Periodic replacement of some equipment, such as turbines, is needed to ensure the smooth transport of gas. Its state of repair…


Russian Economy Shows Resilience Six Months After Ukraine Invasion, but Challenges Persist

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its seventh month, the economy of the Russian Federation has shown some measure of resilience in the face of Western sanctions. However, the future remains uncertain for the Russian Federation, with sanctions from the Western bloc taking their toll on the lives of ordinary Russian. In the days and…


China Busts US Sanctions on Venezuela—and America Says Nothing

Commentary China is thumbing its nose at U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and Iran; so far, the Biden administration does nothing about it. According to Reuters, China is now using front companies—at least one unregistered and another a major defense contractor—to run illegal oil from Venezuela to the mainland. Starting in August 2019, China National Petroleum…


Kremlin: Only Sanctions Prevent Nord Stream Gas Pipeline From Working

MOSCOW—Nothing stands on the way of Russian gas exports to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline apart from technological problems caused by Western sanctions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, a day before another planned maintenance shutdown. Russian energy giant Gazprom has announced it will shut the pipeline for three days from Wednesday…