Alexei Druzhinin - Sputnik / Kremlin Pool via AP; Andrew Harnik / AP Russia Responds to Biden's Sanctions with a Strike of Its Own President Joe Biden punished Russia in an executive order Thursday. Now Moscow has hit back - with the promise of more to come. By Kipp Jones April 16, 2021
Olivier Hoslet / Pool / AFP via Getty Images Western Nations Take a Stand Against China with Sanctions Over Human Rights Abuses The US, EU, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on China over its abuse of Uighur people in the Xinjiang region. By The Associated Press March 23, 2021
Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP via Getty Images Biden Admin Makes 1st Move Against Russia Over Poisoning of Putin Opponent The Biden administration imposed sanctions against Russian officials over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. By The Associated Press March 2, 2021
Federico Parra / AFP via Getty Images Trump Admin Deals Parting Blow to Venezuela with Sweeping New Sanctions The Treasury imposed new sanctions on Venezuela on the Trump administration's last day in power. By The Associated Press January 19, 2021
Andrew Harnik / Pool / AP Trump Admin Makes Last-Minute Move to Counter Chinese Aggression at Sea Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions against several officials over Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. By The Associated Press January 14, 2021
Al Drago / Getty Images Trump Administration Enacts Major New Sanctions as Term Winds Down 'Cuba’s continued support for terrorism in the Western Hemisphere must be stopped.' By The Associated Press January 11, 2021
Tasnim News Agency via AP Iranian Troops Storm South Korean Ship Amid Mounting Tensions with West Iranian troops seized a South Korean oil tanker and forced the ship to change course and head to Iran. By The Associated Press January 4, 2021
AP Trump Admin Cranks Up the Pressure on Violent Syrian Regime Over Years of 'Atrocities' The Trump administration announced new sanctions against Syria, intensifying pressure on President Bashar Assad. By The Associated Press December 22, 2020
Menahem Kahana / Pool / AFP via Getty Images Pompeo Issues Unmistakable Warning as Biden Appears Set To Cozy Up to Iran Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned against abandoning the Trump administration's tough stance toward Iran. By The Associated Press November 18, 2020
Yu Chun Christopher Wong / Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images Trump Admin Ramps Up Pressure on China Over Free Speech Crackdown The State Department imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials over the repression of free speech and political rights in Hong Kong. By The Associated Press November 9, 2020