U.S. sanctions network tied to Iran's Supreme Leader.
Today's events
Iran's shadow banks.
State and Treasury sanctioned Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based operative holding real estate across Europe and the Gulf for Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, plus three Iranian currency-exchange houses.1Jul 10 · StateAircraft trade order.
Trump signed a Section 232 proclamation directing Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate deals on foreign commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts, threatening tariffs if talks fail within 180 days.2Jul 10 · WHAfghan general charged.
A complaint unsealed in Manhattan charged Abdul Zahir Qadeer — a former Afghan border-force general and deputy parliament speaker — with conspiring to import heroin and methamphetamine and traffic heavy weapons; he was extradited from Kenya.3Jul 10 · DOJMinerals coalition.
The United States took the chair of FORGE, a critical-minerals coalition launched by Secretary Rubio in February to build diversified supply chains, succeeding South Korea; partners reaffirmed shared guiding principles.4Jul 10 · StateFentanyl precursors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration proposed controlling phenethyl halides — chemicals used to synthesize fentanyl — as List I substances, regulating all domestic and international transactions regardless of size or concentration.5Jul 9 · DEADrug supply visibility.
The FDA proposed a rule requiring foreign makers of active pharmaceutical ingredients that indirectly enter the U.S. supply to register, closing a gap that limited the agency's visibility into upstream drug sources.6Jul 10 · FDARecord crude output.
U.S. crude production averaged a record 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, keeping the United States the world's largest producer — about 40% above Russia and Saudi Arabia — with the Permian Basin supplying nearly half.7Jul 9 · EIAColombia election integrity.
The United States and twelve Latin American and Caribbean governments issued a joint statement defending Colombia's proclaimed election results and orderly transition, rejecting efforts to delegitimize the vote or obstruct the handover.8Jul 10 · StateEbola case.
The CDC confirmed a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive for Bundibugyo virus, a form of Ebola, and is supporting contact tracing in the DRC.9Jul 10 · CDC
Allied Governments
United Nations: Iran.
At the U.N. Security Council, the United Kingdom condemned recent Iranian attacks on shipping and the region, welcomed reports both sides are returning to talks, and pressed Iran to cooperate with nuclear inspectors.aJul 10 · UK FCDOGulf security projects.
At its Ankara summit, NATO launched flagship projects with Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE on maritime security and defense against chemical and nuclear threats, and condemned Iran's attacks across the region.bJul 10 · NATOBritish Army AI lab.
The UK Ministry of Defence signed a £2 billion, 15-year contract for an AI-driven “combat laboratory” to train up to 60,000 soldiers a year, drawing on lessons from Ukraine and supporting NATO readiness.cJul 10 · UK MoD
Voices
“No matter where you are, no matter how powerful you think you are — you are not out of our reach.”
DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole · Jul 103
“The United States is taking decisive action to cut off the financial lifelines sustaining Iran's ruling elite.”
Spokesperson Thomas Pigott, U.S. Dept. of State · Jul 101
“[T]he sovereign will of the citizens — freely expressed at the ballot box and formalized by the competent electoral authorities — constitutes the sole foundation of the legitimacy of public power.”
Joint Statement, Shield of the Americas · Jul 108
“When an active ingredient in a medicine reaches an American patient, the FDA should be able to trace exactly where it came from.”
Michael Davis, Acting Dir., FDA CDER · Jul 106
“U.S. crude oil production powered by shale development has turned the United States into not just the world's largest producer, but the largest producer of crude oil ever.”
U.S. Energy Information Administration · Jul 97
“FORGE is a coalition of like-minded nations working together to establish secure, diversified, and resilient critical minerals supply chains.”
U.S. Dept. of State, FORGE media note · Jul 104
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of State, “U.S. Squeezes Iran's Regime Financiers and Shadow Banking Networks,” July 10, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/iran-shadow-banking-networks
- White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Adjusts Imports of Commercial Aircraft, Jet Engines, and Aircraft and Engine Parts,” July 2026. whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/…/commercial-aircraft-section-232
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Former Afghan General and First Deputy House Speaker Extradited to U.S. to Face Narcotics and Weapons Charges,” July 10, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/afghan-general-extradited
- U.S. Dept. of State, “The United States Assumes the Chairmanship of the FORGE,” July 10, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/forge-chairmanship
- Drug Enforcement Administration, “Designation of Phenethyl Halides as List I Chemicals” (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), July 9, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/phenethyl-halides-list-i
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “FDA Proposes Rule to Modernize Drug Manufacturing Registration,” July 10, 2026. fda.gov/news-events/…/drug-manufacturing-registration
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, “The United States Produced More Crude Oil Than Any Other Country in 2025,” July 9, 2026. eia.gov/todayinenergy/…/us-crude-oil-2025
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Joint Statement by Members of the Shield of the Americas,” July 10, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/shield-of-the-americas
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “CDC Statement on Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda,” July 10, 2026. cdc.gov/media/releases/…/ebola-drc-uganda
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “We Stand With Our Partners in Calling for De-escalation and a Return to Diplomacy: UK Statement at the UN Security Council,” July 10, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/uk-unsc-iran-statement
- NATO, “NATO Deepens Security Cooperation with Gulf Countries Through the Launch of Flagship Projects,” July 10, 2026. nato.int/…/gulf-flagship-projects
- UK Ministry of Defence, “AI Battle Lab to Prepare British Army for Modern Warfare,” July 10, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/ai-battle-lab-british-army