US Senate majority leader says Iran sanctions added to Russia bill

US Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that sanctions against Iran have been incorporated into a pending Russia sanctions bill, Punchbowl News reported.

“I think everybody's fine with it, because we would do it anyway,” said Thune, who noted that Iran sanctions have been a fixture of US policy for three decades.

He confirmed that Democratic lawmakers are reviewing the addition as both parties attempt to reach a time agreement for a vote before a congressional recess.

"I've been having conversations with the Democrats and the folks on our side, and I think we're honing in on it," said Thune.

The legislative move follows an appeal from US President Donald Trump on Sunday to include Iran in the bipartisan bill as a tribute to its late author, US Sen. Lindsey Graham. “Republicans should add Iran to the Russian Sanctions Bill,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, asserting that the inclusion was "what Lindsey wanted to do."