Senate Passes Sanctions on Iran and Russia

The Senate almost unanimously approved legislation Thursday that slaps sanctions on Iran and Russia.

The bill passed 98-2, with Kentucky senator Rand Paul and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders voting against it. Lawmakers had overwhelmingly agreed on Wednesday to attach a batch of Russia sanctions to the Iran bill, after calls from both sides of the aisle to push Kremlin-related sanctions through.

Senate Foreign Relations chairman Bob Corker had pumped the breaks on the Russia sanctions bill weeks ago, per the request of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Tillerson had asked for some time to try and change the direction of U.S.-Russia relations before Congress levied new sanctions on the Kremlin.

But it became clear by the start of the Senate's work period that efforts to change the relationship, including in terms of the civil war in Syria, were not succeeding.

"I was going to give them until the beginning of this next work period, which began a few weeks ago," Corker told THE WEEKLY STANDARD. "The trajectory did not change."