Senators are adding financial penalties against Iran to a bipartisan Russia sanctions package they are hoping to move before the August recess, Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday.
“It was a late add,” Thune told reporters. “I think everybody’s fine with it because we would do it anyway. Iran sanctions is something we’ve had in place for the last 30 years.”
Senators have been trying to pass a bipartisan bill sanctioning Russia and buyers of its oil for months, but the effort has taken on new momentum after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was one of the bill’s main champions.
President Donald Trump threw a curveball into the bill’s path over the weekend when he posted on social media that sanctions against Iran should be added into the bill.
Thune, however, said that he believes the Senate could pass the revised sanctions package before they leave for the August recess.
“I’ve been having conversations with Democrats and folks on our side, and I think we’re homing in on it,” Thune said. “So I’m hoping we can get it teed up, and then if we could get some sort of limited time agreement to help expedite it on the floor, that would help too.”
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