Trump Extends Iran Sanctions as Yemen Fighting Intensifies

US President Donald Trump has signed legislation extending existing US sanctions on Iran for another five years, keeping key sanctions authorities against Tehran in place until 2031. The new law does not create an entirely new sanctions regime but extends Washington’s existing powers to target foreign companies and individuals involved in certain transactions with Iran’s energy sector. Businesses involved in buying, transporting, financing or insuring Iranian petroleum could face restrictions under the extended measures. The move comes as tensions across the Middle East continue to rise. In

US President Donald Trump has signed legislation extending existing US sanctions on Iran for another five years, keeping key sanctions authorities against Tehran in place until 2031. The new law does not create an entirely new sanctions regime but extends Washington’s existing powers to target foreign companies and individuals involved in certain transactions with Iran’s energy sector. Businesses involved in buying, transporting, financing or insuring Iranian petroleum could face restrictions under the extended measures. The move comes as tensions across the Middle East continue to rise. In Yemen, tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of Sanaa in support of the Houthi movement, as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces intensified in western Yemen. The conflict is also creating a growing humanitarian crisis. More than 2,700 Yemeni refugees have arrived in Djibouti, while humanitarian organisations warn that assistance remains severely limited. The United Nations has said millions of Yemenis need urgent humanitarian support. The developments come alongside growing tensions over regional shipping routes, particularly the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The continued fighting and Houthi control of parts of Yemen’s western coastline have raised concerns about the security of international maritime trade. Iran has meanwhile welcomed support from Russia and China at the United Nations, after the two countries vetoed a US-backed resolution seeking to extend the mandate of experts monitoring sanctions on Tehran.