WASHINGTON, OCT 17 — United States President Donald Trump issued an executive order waiving punitive sanctions and restrictions under the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, citing overriding national interests. The directive provides significant relief to major global buyers of Russian energy, including India and China, which had faced the prospect of tariffs as high as 100 per cent.
In an executive order released on Friday night, President Trump affirmed that the decision was taken to safeguard domestic and international priorities.
“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Trump stated, adding that he had submitted the necessary certification to the US Congress.
The decision comes shortly before US Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins an official visit to New Delhi. The matter was earlier raised by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during discussions with Marco Rubio in New York, where New Delhi maintained that Indian refineries require specific crude grades to sustain operations amid global market disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.
The Graham Act, passed by the US Congress on September 16 and signed two days later, empowered the administration to levy heavy tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas. However, Section 115 of the legislation grants the President explicit authority to exempt nations if deemed in the national interest. The step also follows a recent US agreement with Russia regarding diesel supplies to manage global energy requirements.
