Trump wants Iran added to Russia Sanctions Bill; India faces tariff risk

US President Donald Trump has suggested that Congress make a last-minute change to a Russia sanctions measure that has already cleared the Senate. Before the legislation reaches the House of Representatives, he is pushing lawmakers to expand it so he can impose tariffs on Iran as well.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump argued that sanctions alone were not enough.

"It shouldn't be necessary, to be honest. But if it's necessary, I'd like them to add Iran as tariffs, not just as sanctions; I think that's important, that's what Lindsey wanted," he said as quoted by the Hindustan Times.

Push to widen Bill

The development comes after senators voted 86-12 to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, a measure aimed at increasing economic pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine war.

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The bill gives the President authority to impose tariffs of as much as 100 per cent on countries that continue buying Russian energy or military goods. India is among the biggest names on that list because it remains one of Russia's largest crude oil customers, second only to China.

The measure names China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan among the countries that could face those tariffs. It also leaves the final decision with the President, who would decide whether to impose the duties and when to lift them. Another provision raises the cost of importing Russian goods into the US by setting a 500 per cent tariff.

India in focus

If lawmakers decide to accept Trump’s suggestion, the modified Bill would have to go through another round of congressional action, slowing a bill that already has broad backing in the Senate.

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However, some Democrats back stronger penalties against Russia but object to allowing the President such wide control over tariffs. Their concern is that the authority extends well beyond sanctions policy and reaches into trade without much congressional involvement.

India has more at stake than most countries if the measure becomes law. New Delhi has continued buying Russian crude even as many Western nations have tried to cut Moscow's energy earnings. That trade has already become a source of friction with Washington.

Trade tensions may deepen

In August 2025, the US earlier imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over India's purchases of Russian oil, taking the total tariff to 50 per cent. The move froze trade negotiations between the two countries.

Also Read: China, India ‘main culprits’: US Senate advances Bill imposing 100 pc tariff for Russian oil imports

However, the West Asia conflict prompted Washington to grant a waiver that allowed India to resume buying Russian crude. Indian imports then climbed 34 per cent in June 2026 to a record €4.5 billion, accounting for about 36 per cent of Russia's crude export revenue.

Those purchases now sit at the centre of the Senate measure. If the legislation reaches the president's desk in its present form, India could once again face steep US tariffs tied to its Russian oil imports.

That would place fresh pressure on trade talks, with both governments still trying to reach a bilateral agreement that would lower tariffs on Indian exports entering the American market.