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US Unveils New Iran Sanctions in ‘Maximum Pressure’ Effort

A woman walks past a wall painting in the colors of the Iranian flag in Tehran on February 25, 2026. (AFP)
A woman walks past a wall painting in the colors of the Iranian flag in Tehran on February 25, 2026. (AFP)
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US Unveils New Iran Sanctions in ‘Maximum Pressure’ Effort

A woman walks past a wall painting in the colors of the Iranian flag in Tehran on February 25, 2026. (AFP)
A woman walks past a wall painting in the colors of the Iranian flag in Tehran on February 25, 2026. (AFP)

The United States on Wednesday announced fresh sanctions targeting Iran, pressing on with what Washington calls its "maximum pressure" campaign ahead of talks between both sides in Geneva.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened strikes if Iran does not cut a deal on its nuclear program.

The US Treasury Department's latest sanctions take aim at more than 30 individuals, entities and vessels said to be enabling "illicit Iranian petroleum sales," as well as its weapons production.

In particular, vessels operating "as part of Iran's shadow fleet, which transport Iranian petroleum and petroleum products to foreign markets" were targeted as a means to strike at authorities' revenue sources, the Treasury said.

"Iran exploits financial systems to sell illicit oil, launder the proceeds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programs, and support its terrorist proxies," charged US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement.

He vowed that the Trump administration will continue to push for "maximum pressure on Iran to target the regime's weapons capabilities and support for terrorism."

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Trump accused Tehran of "sinister nuclear ambitions" after he ordered a massive military deployment around the region.

But for now, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that he had a favorable outlook for talks between both sides.

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World

Trump Reportedly Asked for Tougher Terms in Proposed Iran War Deal

US President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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Trump Reportedly Asked for Tougher Terms in Proposed Iran War Deal

US President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

President Donald Trump has sought to change several terms of a proposal to end the Middle East war, US media reported Saturday, as a finalized deal remains elusive among the parties.

The New York Times reported Trump's changes involved toughening the terms of the deal, and has sent the new framework back to be considered by Iran, according to officials familiar with the proceedings.

The report said it was not immediately clear what the changes entailed, but news site Axios reported Trump wanted to reinforce multiple points of the deal that he personally felt were important, such as what is done to Iran's nuclear material.

The new tweaks could prolong negotiations between the parties for days before a decision is reached on whether the deal would end the war which began after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28.

US sources had told AFP that the proposal had been waiting on Trump's sign-off, but he made no decision after a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday.

Trump has said his priorities for any deal included Iran agreeing to never develop nuclear weapons and the re-opening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world's oil supply transits.

World

US Says It Disables Another Commercial Ship Trying to Breach Blockade and Reach Iran

Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 30, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 30, 2026. (Reuters)
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US Says It Disables Another Commercial Ship Trying to Breach Blockade and Reach Iran

Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 30, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 30, 2026. (Reuters)

The US military has stopped another merchant vessel trying to break through the American blockade of Iranian ports, a US official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star ignored multiple warnings from US forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The ship was disabled by US aircraft in the Gulf of Oman and remains adrift there, the official said, adding that US forces have not boarded it.

With the latest action, US military has stopped six ships trying to breach the blockade. One was allowed to proceed.

The US launched the blockade on April 17 in response to Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz after the war began with US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. A fragile ceasefire has held since April 7.

Now the region and wider world await word on whether a deal is being reached to extend it by 60 days while new talks would be held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Events in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman have shaken the global economy, with shipments of significant amounts of oil, natural gas and related supplies like fertilizer largely stranded, increasing the strain on consumers and food producers.

The US blockade seeks to limit Iran’s own shipments and further weaken its access to cash, creating more pain for its long-weakened economy.

US President Donald Trump met with advisers on Friday but has yet to decide on whether to move ahead with a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has said the deal had not been finalized.

World

Canada’s Broader Citizenship Rules Draw Strong American Interest, Data Shows

Passengers move through the line at the Main TSA Screening Checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Passengers move through the line at the Main TSA Screening Checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
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Canada’s Broader Citizenship Rules Draw Strong American Interest, Data Shows

Passengers move through the line at the Main TSA Screening Checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Passengers move through the line at the Main TSA Screening Checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 21 October 2025. (EPA)

While US-Canadian relations have frayed under US President Donald Trump, data on Canadian citizenship approvals under recently widened rules suggests many Americans would welcome the chance to become Canadian.

Under the new rules, which allow more descendants of Canadians to claim citizenship compared with just first-generation descendants previously, approvals for proof of citizenship by descent have risen by more than 1,000 per month so far this year, data from Canada's immigration agency shows.

That compares with just 275 additional approvals in ‌December 2025, when the ‌new law went into effect.

The data also shows ‌that ⁠roughly 48% of ⁠the additional approvals through February originated from the US.

Immigration lawyers say the high percentage of Americans reflects the historically close ties between the two neighboring countries, while signaling that many Americans see Canada as an attractive place to live or study, especially given recent US political uncertainty.

"The biggest thing is it gives our family options," said William Hunnewell, a 41-year-old based in Seattle who applied earlier this year and expects a ⁠response in nine months to a year. His great-grandfather was ‌a homesteader in Saskatchewan before World War One ‌and his grandfather was born in Canada.

"If my kid wants to study or ‌live in Canada, she can just go — there's no visa, no deadlines," he ‌said.

Most new citizens approved under the law will likely remain abroad but many want to keep their options open, said Nick Berning, a US-based immigration lawyer.

"Current interest in Canadian citizenship is definitely influenced by US politics," Berning said. "They want to stay in the US, but ‌if things become untenable, they want a way out."

Political divisions have deepened in the US, where polls show growing dissatisfaction ⁠with the Trump ⁠administration. Ties between the US and Canada have also grown tense since Trump imposed stiff tariffs on Canadian goods and talked of annexing Canada as the 51st state.

Canadian approvals this year under the newly established category for proof of citizenship totaled 1,140 in January, 1,255 in February and 1,405 in March, according to data that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provided to Reuters.

Canada's new citizenship law responded to a 2023 court ruling that found limiting citizenship to the first generation born abroad was unconstitutional.

People who have lived outside Canada for generations can now be considered citizens if they can prove descent. That is in sharp contrast with Canadian government efforts in recent years to lower immigration targets.

Berning noted, however, that new citizens who have never lived in Canada cannot pass citizenship on indefinitely to children born abroad.