Twenty-nine governments condemn Iran over British base plot.
Today's events
British base plot.
The United States and 28 other governments condemned Iran's covert attacks in Europe and backed Britain's finding that Iran was behind the Sept 27 attack attempt at the Royal Air Force base at Fairford.1Oct 12 · StateIran car and rail sanctions.
Treasury's sanctions office determined that Iran's automotive and rail sectors fall under the 2020 executive order blocking the property of anyone operating in designated sectors of the Iranian economy, effective Oct 1.2Oct 13 · TreasuryMid-Atlantic blackout order.
The energy secretary ordered grid operator PJM Interconnection to dispatch specified generators and call up backup power through Oct 16, citing elevated demand and heavy planned generator and transmission outages.3Oct 12 · DOEHormuz shipping call.
Rubio and Britain's foreign secretary committed by phone to safeguarding transit through the Strait of Hormuz, securing U.S. assets in Britain, and ending the Russia–Ukraine war through a negotiated settlement.4Oct 12 · StateJapan aid coordination.
The United States and Japan agreed in Tokyo to aim foreign assistance at the Luzon Economic Corridor in the Philippines and a Mekong power partnership, and to coordinate maritime-security aid in Southeast Asia.5Oct 12 · StateDeep-sea mining bid.
Commerce's ocean agency accepted Eco Minerals' application for a deep-seabed hard-minerals exploration license as complete, opening written comments until Dec 14 and a public hearing Nov 16.6Oct 13 · CommerceCrypto market rules.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened a rulemaking on crypto-asset transactions and markets, taking comment through Dec 14 on rules it calls fit-for-purpose.7Oct 13 · CFTCElection-fraud charges.
The Justice Department announced charges against 16 people over illegal voting, fraudulent registration and false citizenship claims; most are foreign nationals accused of voting in 2024.8Oct 12 · DOJFusion magnet lab.
The Energy Department launched a Fermilab test bed for superconducting magnet cables in simulated fusion-reactor fields, funded jointly by its fusion, high-energy physics and nuclear physics offices.9Oct 12 · Fermilab
This week
Sanctions on the court itself.
Secretary of State Rubio announced on October 9 that the United States is sanctioning the International Criminal Court under Executive Order 14203, banning transactions with it to cut off its resources. The action reaches the institution rather than individual judges or prosecutors, and Rubio said Washington expects allied member states to rein the court in. Led the October 10 brief.1Oct 9 · StateCanadian imports barred.
Proclamations 11061, 11062 and 11063, signed October 6, exclude certain Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy and motor vehicles from importation, citing continued discrimination against American commerce. Two more proclamations the next day modified the scope of Canadian alcohol and vehicles subject to additional duties. Canada signed the United States-convened overcapacity statement the same day. Led the October 7 brief.2Oct 6 · WHBlockade enters month four.
A U.S. fighter jet disabled the Panama-flagged cargo ship Ocean Molica in the Gulf of Oman on October 10 after its crew ignored warnings, Central Command said. Four commercial vessels have now been disabled and 135 ships turned around in three months of enforcement. Treasury extended the 2020 asset-freeze order to Iran’s automotive and rail sectors effective October 1. Led the October 12 brief.3Oct 10 · CENTCOMEmergency energy orders.
The Energy Department authorized an emergency exchange of up to 4 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve on October 10, split between ExxonMobil and BP America, to keep Gulf Coast refineries running through Hurricane Isaias. Two days later the energy secretary ordered grid operator PJM to dispatch specified generators through October 16. Executive Order 14435 deferred federal diesel excise taxes through December 31. From the October 11 and 13 briefs.5Oct 10 · DOEFifteen economies on overcapacity.
Fourteen trade ministers joined the United States on October 7 in a joint statement committing to new sectoral platforms on structural excess capacity, among them the European Union, Canada, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Türkiye. Canada signed a day after three proclamations barred its dairy, alcohol and vehicles from the U.S. market. The August trade deficit, reported October 6, widened to $105.6 billion. Led the October 8 brief.6Oct 7 · USTRMaduro charged with torture.
A superseding indictment unsealed October 8 in Manhattan charges former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores with conspiring to torture U.S. citizens held in Venezuelan custody, alongside narcoterrorism, cocaine importation and weapons counts. Three days later a Homeland Security task force arrested Alvaro Pulido Vargas, charged with laundering more than $2 billion from Venezuelan government bribery schemes. From the October 10 and 12 briefs.7Oct 8 · DOJ
Allied Governments
Iranian agents sanctioned.
Britain's foreign secretary froze the assets of two Iranians, including the head of Revolutionary Guard counterespionage operations, and summoned Iran's ambassador over plots on British soil.aOct 12 · UK FCDORussian oil capacity covered.
Britain's prime minister told the House of Commons that a new sanctions package brings more than 90 percent of Russia's oil-producing capacity under UK sanctions, alongside new funding for Ukraine's winter.bOct 12 · UK No.10North Korea missile call.
Japan, the United States and South Korea held a three-way official call after North Korea's Oct 12 ballistic missile launches, calling them violations of UN Security Council resolutions.cOct 13 · Japan MoFA
Voices
“Any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce people on our territories through proxies or any other means is unacceptable.”
Joint statement of 29 governments · Oct 121
“Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the value of our close partnership to stabilize global energy markets while also bringing the Russia-Ukraine conflict to an end through a negotiated settlement.”
Spokesman Tommy Pigott, State Dept. · Oct 124
“I hereby determine that section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 13902 shall apply to the automotive and rail sectors of the Iranian economy.”
Dir. Bradley T. Smith, Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control · Oct 12
“[P]ast leaders' energy subtraction policies have made the grid more vulnerable to the risk of blackouts when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow.”
Energy Sec. Chris Wright · Oct 123
“The two sides reviewed progress on economic security, including critical minerals supply chains, deep-sea mineral development, digital connectivity, and energy security.”
U.S.–Japan Free and Open Indo-Pacific Dialogue readout · Oct 125
“We chose the name MAGNES to reflect both the history and the future of magnetism.”
Stephen Gourlay, Fermilab Magnet Technology Division · Oct 129
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Joint Statement on the United Kingdom's Attribution of Iran's Involvement in Attempted Terrorist Attack at RAF Fairford,” October 12, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/joint-statement-raf-fairford
- Federal Register, “Publication of an Iran-Related Determination” (Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control; determination issued October 1, 2026), October 13, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/iran-related-determination
- U.S. Dept. of Energy, “Energy Secretary Secures Mid-Atlantic Grid Ahead of Anticipated Stressed System Conditions,” October 12, 2026. energy.gov/articles/…/secures-mid-atlantic-grid
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary of State Rubio's Call with UK Foreign Secretary Miliband,” October 12, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-call-miliband
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Second U.S.-Japan Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) Dialogue,” October 12, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/us-japan-foip-dialogue
- Federal Register, “Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Application for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration License and Announcement of Public Comment Period and Virtual Public Hearing” (NOAA), October 13, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/deep-seabed-mining-exploration-license
- Federal Register, “Regulation Crypto Asset Transactions and Regulation Crypto Asset Markets” (Commodity Futures Trading Commission, advance notice of proposed rulemaking), October 13, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/crypto-asset-transactions-and-markets
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Justice Department Announces Charges Involving 16 Individuals for Election Crimes,” October 12, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/16-individuals-election-crimes
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, “Physics and fusion research advances through Fermilab's MAGNES,” October 12, 2026. news.fnal.gov/2026/10/…/fermilabs-magnes
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “Foreign Secretary statement on Iran, 12 October,” October 12, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/foreign-secretary-statement-on-iran
- UK Prime Minister's Office (No.10), “PM statement to the House of Commons: 12 October 2026,” October 12, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/pm-statement-commons-12-october-2026
- Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Japan-U.S.-ROK Foreign Ministries' Official Telephone Meeting on North Korea,” October 13, 2026. mofa.go.jp/press/release/…/japan-us-rok-north-korea