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Mexico
[1] Lawder, D., Madry, K., & Acharya, B. (2025, June 25). US targets three Mexican financial institutions under fentanyl sanctions. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-prohibits-certain-deals-with-three-mexican-banks-under-fentanyl-sanctions-2025-06-25/. “The U.S. Treasury on Wednesday prohibited certain transactions with Mexico-based financial institutions CIBanco, Intercam Banco and Vector Casa de Bolsa as part of its new fentanyl sanctions. The actions by the Treasury-run Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to declare the three institutions "as primary money laundering concerns" mark the first actions under the Fentanyl Sanctions Act and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, the Treasury said in a statement. Experts said the move, although targeting relatively small institutions, could have significant impact on Mexico's financial system given the interconnectedness between banks and the close business relationship with the United States.”
[2] Diaz, L. (2025, February 6). Mexican troops arrive at border as part of deal to pause US tariffs. El Paso Times. https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/immigration/2025/02/06/mexican-troops-arrive-at-border-as-part-of-deal-to-pause-us-tariffs/78284683007/. “Hundreds of Mexican soldiers were mobilized on Tuesday to the border with the United States as part of an agreement that halted U.S. tariffs on Mexican imports under the condition the Latin American country cracks down on fentanyl trafficking. The Mexican troops will be posted to hot spots along the border with high rates of illegal migration and drug and weapons trafficking, including the border states of Baja California, Sonora and Tamaulipas, said three military and government officials with knowledge of the plan. The plan to eventually deploy 10,000 Mexican soldiers forms part of a deal announced on Monday under which U.S. President Donald Trump paused his threat of 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. Mexico had vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs. Under the agreement, the United States has also promised to work to stop the flow of high-powered weapons into Mexico from the U.S., Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. Some analysts said the hefty concentration of Mexican troops sent to the border could leave other vulnerable areas of Mexico without adequate security.”
[3] Gupta, A. (2026, January 4). 'Something needs to be done': Trump warns Columbia, Cuba, Mexico after Maduro's capture. ABP Live. https://news.abplive.com/news/world/donald-trump-warns-columbia-cuba-mexico-after-nicolas-maduro-capture-venezuela-1820100. "Speaking candidly on Fox & Friends, he remarked, “We’re very friendly with her, she’s a good woman.” Yet he drove home a stark reality: “But the cartels are running Mexico — she’s not running Mexico.”"
[4] Doctors Without Borders. (2025). 17 days in captivity along the US-Mexico border. https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/17-days-captivity-along-us-mexico-border. “MSF statement on the visits of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to the US-Mexico border "We deplore the difficulties and obstacles to access asylum and protection imposed on migrants and the use of migration as an electoral bargaining chip by US politicians," said Gemma Domínguez, general coordinator of MSF in Mexico. "Our teams on the Mexico-US border and throughout Mexico are witnesses to the suffering and risks faced by migrants along the migration routes. They face these risks because migration is criminalized, forcing people to take more dangerous routes. We demand more humane immigration policies, so that migrants don’t risk their lives and safety trying to reach the United States. We repeat that seeking asylum is not a crime."”
[5] Mexico News Daily. (2025). Navy removes signs claiming a Mexican beach is US territory. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/beach-warning-signs/. “he Mexican Navy reported that it has removed six warning signs planted on Mexican territory in the border state of Tamaulipas warning that anyone found on what the signs called “National Defense Area III” would be “detained and searched.” The United States government later acknowledged that it had arranged to have the signs put up, according to President Sheinbaum. In her daily press conference on Tuesday morning, Sheinbaum confirmed the location of the signs. “Boundary signs were put up on a section of Playa Bagdad (Baghdad Beach),” Sheinbaum said. Playa Bagdad is located where the Rio Grande meets the Gulf of Mexico. The river, which originates in south-central Colorado in the United States and is called the Río Bravo on the Mexican side, forms the border between the two countries for a long stretch. Reports of unidentified men arriving at the beach by boat to install signs prompted the response from Mexico’s Naval Ministry (Semar). The signs reportedly stated in Spanish and English that the area was Department of Defense property and a “Restricted Area” by order of “the commander.” They also said that “unauthorized entry is prohibited,” as are photography or drawings, and stated, “If you are found here, you may be detained and searched.””
[6] Thayer, R. L. (2025, February 28). Army sending another 1,000 troops to US-Mexico border. Stars and Stripes. https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-02-28/troops-border-trump-mexico-migrants-16989072.html. “Another 1,140 soldiers working in support and sustainment jobs will deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border to help federal agents, the military announced Friday. The troops — from five bases across the country — will join 4,200 soldiers and Marines already working in support of Customs and Border Protection. Once in place, they will provide coordination of logistical support, field feeding support sites and control logistical movement.”
[7] Morán Breña, C. (2025, February 17). Mexico awaits US onslaught against cartels with little room for maneuver. https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-02-17/mexico-awaits-us-onslaught-against-cartels-with-little-room-for-maneuver.html. “The U.S. military flights on the southern border of the United States — that is, at the very gates of Mexico — have been one of the most talked about events in recent days, but perhaps they hold no other meaning than the unilateralism that prevails in relations between the two countries in recent times. Had Donald Trump not won the elections, it would be another example of the discontent that his predecessor, Joe Biden, had been displaying regarding the results of the fight against organized crime, which culminated in the capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada last July, unexpectedly and under cover of moonlight. But Trump is now in the White House and his campaign bravado is added to the commercial and security actions that have half the world in suspense, Mexico first and foremost given its great dependence on its northern neighbor. It will take months until the electoral sediment settles and the true intentions of the Republican are revealed, whose actions for now seem more like political gestures toward Americans and foreigners, both economically and in terms of security. The caution shown by the Mexican government in its relations with the unpredictable president in this matter could be explained precisely as a political strategy, a wait-and-see stance while other more thorny issues, such as tariffs on the export of Mexican products, 80% of which travel to the United States, are definitively resolved. Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration displayed a more than moderate attitude when it came to light that U.S. aircraft were carrying out surveillance tasks in waters near the Baja California peninsula and the coasts of Sinaloa, among known flights. Secretary of Defense General Ricardo Trevilla said at first that it was unclear exactly what the intention of the aircraft was, but he assured that they were complying with international regulations and that, after all, Mexico is focusing on “prioritizing the border.” Trevilla described a subsequent conversation with the head of U.S. Northern Command as “cordial.” There was not much room for discussion, as Trump and Sheinbaum were negotiating the suspension of tariffs at the time. A couple of days ago, the Mexican president limited herself to saying: “We are not alarmed. They are flying over their territory and what we are asking for is coordination and collaboration.” Only in that framework will transparency be requested. At first glance, or at another time, the fact that the U.S. military is blatantly flying over Mexico’s borders would cause logical alarm, although it is a mere political gesture inscribed in the chapter on threats. But caution has presided over Mexico’s statements: “It is not the first time there have been flights of this type, it’s not out of nowhere, it is part of necessary coordination and of the joint collaboration, and each one operates in its territory.” The issue of territory also has its own analysis. In the wake of the Trump administration’s declaration of the Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, one of the swords hanging over Mexico is the interference of U.S. troops or agents on Mexican soil, a possibility that had appeared to be off the table, although no one has yet clarified exactly what happened in the capture of El Mayo Zambada. Then, as now, intelligence operations do not seem as covert as they correspond to espionage and surveillance tasks against drug trafficking and, from the mysterious flights, the procedure that will be put in place during Trump’s term can be inferred: the fight against the cartels will enter the military orbit.”
[8] Frias, L. (2025, April 5). What military assets has Trump deployed to the US southern border? Troops, warships, spy planes, and more. https://www.businessinsider.com/military-assets-donald-trump-immigration-us-mexico-southern-border-2025-3. “US Navy destroyers are cruising coastal waters, spy planes are flying overhead, and troops are out patrolling desert trails in armored fighting vehicles. America's southern border is starting to resemble a military front line as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration at the divide between the US and Mexico. President Donald Trump swiftly put his mass deportation plan into motion after taking office, using US military personnel and assets to execute it by formally declaring illegal immigration a federal emergency. About 10,000 active-duty troops have been deployed to support the Pentagon's southern border operation, as have two warships, a handful of military aircraft, and over 100 combat vehicles. On April 1, Defense Department officials said the militarization at the US- Mexico border had cost roughly $376 million since Trump returned to the White House on January 20, or about $5.3 million per day.”
[9] Thayer, R. L. (2025, January 22). Military deploys 1,500 troops to US-Mexico border; mission includes conducting deportation flights. Stars and Stripes. https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-01-22/mexico-border-troops-wall-pentagon-trump-16572158.html. “As many as 1,500 troops along with other resources and assets began moving to the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday for a deployment that includes the use of military aircraft to conduct deportation flights and support for construction efforts to extend the wall that separates the two countries, the Defense Department announced. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses approved three actions Wednesday, following executive orders signed Monday by President Donald Trump. “The president directed me to take all appropriate action to support the activities of the secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States,” Salesses said in a statement. The deportation flights will include more than 5,000 migrants detained by Customs and Border Protection near San Diego and El Paso, Texas, he said. The Department of Homeland Security will provide in-flight law enforcement and the State Department will obtain the necessary clearances and notification to other countries. The deployment includes two C-17 and two C-130 transport aircraft to support the deportations, according to a senior military official who spoke to reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity.”
Cuba
[10] Klein, J., & Rosen, L. W. (2025, February 6). U.S. Cuba policy: Recent developments and the 119th Congress (Report No. IN12499). Congressional Research Service. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/PDF/IN12499/IN12499.4.pdf
“The Trump Administration announced the following changes to U.S.-Cuba policy: Cuba’s SSOT Designation. President Trump revoked President Biden’s January 14 presidential memorandum that certified the rescission of Cuba’s designation as an SSOT. In effect, Cuba remains an SSOT unless an executive decision were to be made to restart the process for removing Cuba from the list. Transactions with the Cuban Military, Limits to U.S. Tourism to Cuba, and Redefining “Prohibited Officials of the Government of Cuba.” President Trump revoked President Biden’s January 14 presidential memorandum that revoked NSPM-5. Although the State Department rescinded the Cuba restricted list on January 16, Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved its re-creation on January 31. On February 5, the State Department reissued the Cuba restricted list. The updated list adds one entity, effective March 10: Orbit, S.A., a state-owned entity that had partnered with Western Union and other financial services companies to process remittances to Cuba. Withdrawal of Suspension of Private Rights of Action, Pursuant to Title III of the LIBERTAD Act. On January 31, Secretary Rubio publicly announced that he had submitted to Congress a letter withdrawing President Biden’s previous letter on suspending the right to bring an action under Title III of the LIBERTAD Act.”
[11] BBC News. (2021, January 29). Cuba protests: Why are people demonstrating? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55627032. “The US has placed Cuba back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, citing the communist country's backing of Venezuela. President Donald Trump's administration made the announcement just days before he leaves the White House. President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office on 20 January, has previously said he wants to improve US-Cuban relations. Cuba called the move "political opportunism". Mr Biden has said he is seeking closer ties between the long-term adversaries but Mr Trump’s decision is likely to hinder a quick repair of relations. Cuba's place on the list will require a formal review that could take months, analysts say.”
[12] Buschschlüter, V. (2025, July 1). Trump tightens US policy on Cuba. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx24468drd1o. “US President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum which will impose tighter restrictions on Cuba. The move is aimed at reversing some of the measures introduced by the Biden administration which eased US pressure on the Communist-run country. The White House said it would enforce an existing ban on American tourists going to Cuba more stringently, and oppose calls by international organisations such as the UN to end the US economic embargo on the Caribbean nation. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said the memorandum "strengthens the aggression & economic blockade that punishes the whole Cuban people and is the main obstacle to our development". In a fact sheet published on its website, the White House said it would end "economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people". US citizens are already banned from travelling to Cuba solely for tourism activities but there are 12 categories of travel which are permitted, including family and educational educational visits, humanitarian projects and sports competitions. The new memorandum says compliance with the existing policy will be enforced through regular audits and "mandatory record- keeping of all travel-related transactions for at least five years". It also prohibits US citizens from doing business with GAESA, a conglomerate run by the Cuban military which owns many of Cuba's hotels.”
[13] Kaufman, E., & Iyer, K. (2019, October 25). Trump administration suspends US commercial flights to 9 destinations in Cuba except Havana. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/25/politics/cuba-trump-admin-transportation-department-suspends-flights. “Flights to nine destinations in Cuba, not including Havana, will be suspended by the Department of Transportation. The department issued a notice on Friday suspending US commercial flights from flying to the Cuban destinations. The notice will take effect on December 10. The announcement is another step in the Trump administration’s attempt to tighten the relationship between the US and Cuba in a direct reversal of President Barack Obama’s Cuba policy. The Transportation Department is taking this action, according to the filed notice, at the request of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “to further the Administration’s policy of strengthening the economic consequences to the Cuban regime for its ongoing repression of the Cuban people and its support for Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.””
[14] LeoGrande, W. M., & Kornbluh, P. (2025, November 3). With military buildup against Venezuela, the U.S. eyes Cuba as well. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/03/military-buildup-venezuela-us-cuba-trump-maduro/. “With 10 naval vessels and 10,000 troops already deployed to the Caribbean—the largest military buildup there since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis—and a carrier strike group led by the USS Gerald R. Ford taking up position, some sort of military attack on Venezuela appears imminent. U.S. President Donald Trump’s rationale for this aggressive military action is that Venezuela is a hub of drug trafficking and that supplying drugs to U.S. consumers is the equivalent of an armed attack on the United States, justifying a military response. But the real aim is to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government and then, by cutting off the flow of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, fulfill the Republican right’s decades-long dream of collapsing the Cuban government. It’s a strategy that John Bolton, national security advisor in the first Trump administration, tried without success in 2019, but Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio now intends to try again. It’s unlikely to work this time, either, though the cost of a military conflict will be higher for U.S. regional interests and much higher for Venezuelans. With 10 naval vessels and 10,000 troops already deployed to the Caribbean—the largest military buildup there since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis—and a carrier strike group led by the USS Gerald R. Ford taking up position, some sort of military attack on Venezuela appears imminent. U.S. President Donald Trump’s rationale for this aggressive military action is that Venezuela is a hub of drug trafficking and that supplying drugs to U.S. consumers is the equivalent of an armed attack on the United States, justifying a military response. But the real aim is to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government and then, by cutting off the flow of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, fulfill the Republican right’s decades-long dream of collapsing the Cuban government. It’s a strategy that John Bolton, national security advisor in the first Trump administration, tried without success in 2019, but Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio now intends to try again. It’s unlikely to work this time, either, though the cost of a military conflict will be higher for U.S. regional interests and much higher for Venezuelans.”
[15] U.S. Embassy in Cuba. (2024, November 5). Weather alert – Cuba travel advisory level 3: Reconsider travel. https://cu.usembassy.gov/weather-alert-cuba-travel-advisory-level-3-reconsider-travel-november-5-2024/. “Event: On November 21, following the restoration of power to Havana and other clean-up and restoration efforts from Hurricane Rafael, the Department of State updated the Travel Advisory Level for Cuba to Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution. U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba should exercise increased caution and be aware of heightened risks to safety due to crime. Travelers should review the country information page for additional information on travel to Cuba. If you decide to travel to Cuba:
Be aware of your surroundings. Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry. ”
[16] Gupta, A. (2026, January 4). 'Something needs to be done': Trump warns Columbia, Cuba, Mexico after Maduro's capture. ABP Live. https://news.abplive.com/news/world/donald-trump-warns-columbia-cuba-mexico-after-nicolas-maduro-capture-venezuela-1820100. “Trump also took aim at Cuba, a key Maduro ally that provides oil and security support. He described the island nation under President Miguel Díaz-Canel as a “failing nation,” saying, “Cuba, as you know, is not doing very well right now. That system has not been a very good one for Cuba. The people there have suffered for many, many years, and I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now." "It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people that were forced out of Cuba and living in this country,” he added. Echoing that sentiment, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once a Florida senator known for his tough stance on Cuba, branded the communist regime a “disaster” led by “incompetent senile men.””
[17] Golden, T., & Rotella, S. (2018, November 9). The strange case of American diplomats in Cuba: As the mystery deepens, so do divisions in Washington. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/the-strange-case-of-american-diplomats-in-cuba-as-
The-mystery-deepens-so-do-divisions-in-washington. “On the night of May 27, a young woman newly assigned to the United States Embassy in Havana heard a disturbing noise at her home in the city’s Playa neighborhood. As she had been instructed, she telephoned an embassy security officer, who hurried over to investigate. He heard something, too. Both embassy employees were soon medevaced out of Cuba. At the University of Pennsylvania medical school’s Center for Brain Injury and Repair, they were diagnosed with concussionlike symptoms similar to those found in 2017 among 24 Americans and a smaller group of Canadians, all of whom had also served in Cuba. The new Havana cases — along with what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the “very similar and entirely consistent” medical problems of a young consular official in China — stoked fears that American envoys were now being targeted by a mysterious, high- tech enemy acting on a global scale. Yet more than a year after the CIA secretly shut down its Havana station and the State Department withdrew most of its diplomats from Cuba in response to the incidents there, escalating a bitter new cold war between the two countries, U.S. investigators still have no clear idea who or what made the Americans sick. A sprawling investigation has enlisted law enforcement agents, intelligence officers and defense experts, as well as scientists and medical specialists from within and outside government. Analysts have combed through secret communications intercepts, and technologists have tried to reverse-engineer weapons that could produce the effects diplomats reported. Yet after more than 18 months of work, the investigators have been unable to answer basic questions about every major aspect of the case, many officials said.”
[18] Kay, J., & Neergaard, L. (2018, December 13). U.S. diplomats had inner-ear damage after 'health attacks' in Cuba, doctors say. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-diplomats-had-inner-ear-damage-after-health-attacks-in-cuba-doctors-say. “American diplomats affected by mysterious health incidents in Cuba showed damage in the inner ear shortly after they complained of weird noises and sensations, according to their earliest medical exams, publicized Wednesday. The detailed findings were published in a medical journal nearly two years after what the U.S. calls "health attacks" began — and they shed no new light on a possible culprit. "What caused it, who did it, why it was done — we don't know any of those things," said Dr. Michael Hoffer of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who led the exams. The U.S. says since late 2016, 26 people associated with the embassy in Havana suffered problems that include dizziness, ear pain and ringing, and cognitive problems such as difficulty thinking — a health mystery that has damaged U.S.-Cuba relations. The Miami researchers examined 25 of those people, who reported hearing a piercing noise or experiencing a sensation of pressure before their symptoms began. The patients failed a variety of tests that detect inner-ear problems associated with balance, what's called the vestibular system.”
[19] Padgett, T. (2015, June 25). Elian Gonzalez and the complicated history of U.S.-Cuba relations [Radio transcript]. WBUR. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2015/06/25/elian-gonzalez-us-cuba-relations. “It was a story that riveted the nation: a 5-year-old boy was found drifting in the waters off Florida after his mother drowned while trying to escape communist Cuba. The U.S., following international law, prepared to return the boy Elián González to his father in Cuba, sparking outrage in much of Miami's anti-Communist Cuban-American community, which demanded Elián stay in Miami with his relatives.”
[20] U.S. Embassy in Georgia. (2020, December 9). Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela strike out against free speech. U.S. Embassy in Georgia. Retrieved January 12, 2026, from https://ge.usembassy.gov/cuba-nicaragua-and-venezuela-strike-out-against-free-speech/. “Free speech for Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans is under attack by their respective governments.“Freedom of expression is a human right,” Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said on Twitter on November 24. “The United States stands with Cuba’s people.” In Cuba , the Castro regime arrested musician Denis Solís González on November 9 and sentenced him to eight months in prison three days later, spurring protests in Havana. Solís was an outspoken member of the San Isidro Movement, a group of artists and activists who peacefully protest the Cuban government’s stifling of free expression. Solís’ crime? Criticizing Cuban police officers who entered his house without permission and posting a video of the incident to social media. Hundreds of cultural figures, from artists and actors to musicians and curators, mobilized in solidarity with the San Isidro Movement, to contest Solis’ arrest and advocate for free speech. In a rare move, the Cuban government agreed to talk with several of the San Isidro Movement activists, promising open dialogue and greater tolerance. ”
[21] CNN. (2015, July 20). U.S., Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations, reopen embassies. https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/20/politics/cuba-u-s-embassies-opening. “One bitter holdover of the Cold War slipped into the history books at 12:01 a.m. Monday, when the United States and Cuba re- established diplomatic relations. For the first time since severing ties in 1961, they reopened embassies in each other’s capitals. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla traveled to the Cuban Embassy in Washington to raise his country’s flag, an event that Cuban government officials said would be broadcast live on the island’s state-run TV. A Cuban delegation of diplomats, artists and veterans of the revolution commemorated the breakthrough with about 500 guests and more than likely down a few celebratory mojitos and shots of Havana Club rum. U.S. diplomats in Havana have readied everything from new business cards to the embassy sign. But the festivities and flag- raising will have to wait for Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit – the highest-level trip by a U.S. official to Cuba since the 1959 revolution – for the embassy reopening ceremony in August. Starting Monday, U.S. officials said, the Cuban government will pull back some of the tight cordon of security that had surrounded America’s diplomatic mission in Havana and no longer record the names of Cubans entering the building. The Cuban and American heads of their respective Interest Sections will became charges d’affaires until ambassadors are named.”
[22] Reuters. (2024, May 15). US removes Cuba from list of countries not cooperating fully against terrorism. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-removes-cuba-list-countries-not-cooperating-fully-against-terrorism-2024-05-15/. “The U.S. removed Cuba from a short list of countries the United States alleges are "not cooperating fully" in its fight against terrorism, a State Department official said on Wednesday. The official cited the resumption of law enforcement cooperation between Cuba and the U.S. as one the reasons why the previous designation was deemed "no longer appropriate." "The department determined that the circumstances for Cuba’s certification as a 'not fully cooperating country' have changed from 2022 to 2023," the official said.”
[23] U.S. Department of State. (2025, February 7). U.S. – Cuba law enforcement dialogue. https://2021-2025.state.gov/u-s-cuba-law-enforcement-dialogue/. “On February 7, U.S. and Cuban officials met in Washington, D.C. to discuss law enforcement matters of bilateral interest under the U.S. – Cuba Law Enforcement Dialogue. The U.S. – Cuba Law Enforcement Dialogue enhances the national security of the United States through improved law enforcement coordination, which enables the United States to better protect U.S. citizens and bring criminals to justice. Establishing and increasing channels for law enforcement cooperation to address transnational threats also enhances U.S. advocacy for human rights. The United States integrates advocacy for human rights and human rights protections into all interactions with the Cuban government. The Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice co- chaired the dialogue for the United States. Officials from the U.S. Embassy in Havana also participated. This meeting was the sixth Law Enforcement Dialogue since 2015.”
Colombia
[24] Pound, J. (2025, January 26). Coffee, crude oil and cut flowers: Here are the Colombian goods you may be paying more for under Trump's tariffs. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/26/trump-colombia-tariffs-coffee-crude-oil-and-cut-flowers-could-see-higher-prices.html. “President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs on goods from Colombia could drive up the price of some items Americans buy every day. Trump said in a social media post Sunday that he would immediately impose a blanket 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia, among other sanctions. The announcement came after Colombia rebuffed a U.S. military flight of deported migrants. Trump also said that the tariffs would soar to 50% in a week. A tariff is effectively a tax on goods when they are brought into a country. While the importing company pays the tax, the cost is often passed on to other parties in the form of higher prices, including U.S. consumers.”
[25] U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs. (2025, April 17). Colombia travel advisory. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/colombia.html “Reconsider travel to Colombia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. Some areas have an increased risk.”
[26] Dezenski, L., & Bristow, M. (2025, October 24). Trump sanctions Colombia president after drug trafficking claims. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-24/trump-sanctions-colombia-president-after-drug-trafficking-claims. “President Donald Trump sanctioned Colombia’s leader and members of his inner circle for allegedly enabling drug trafficking, personally targeting an ideological foe and frequent critic of US policy. The measures announced Friday by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control apply to President Gustavo Petro, his wife, one of his sons, and his interior minister and former campaign chief, Armando Benedetti. All four were added to a “specially designated nationals list.” The move represents the lowest point in US-Colombia relations in more than a century, and risks further setting back once-close cooperation between the nations in the fight against the cocaine trade.”
[27] Robles, C. (2025, September 15). U.S. says Colombia failed to meet drug control obligations under Petro. BNO News. https://bnonews.com/index.php/2025/09/u-s-says-colombia-failed-to-meet-drug-control-obligations-under-petro/. “The United States has designated Colombia as having failed to meet its drug control obligations, citing record levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production under President Gustavo Petro, according to the State Department. In a presidential determination released on Monday, the State Department said coca cultivation and cocaine output in Colombia have surged to all-time highs and accused Petro’s government of failing to meet even its own “vastly reduced” eradication goals. The department said the failure rests “solely with its political leadership.” The determination noted that Colombia’s security institutions and local authorities continue to combat terrorist and criminal groups, but said Petro’s policies, including attempts to negotiate with armed groups, have exacerbated the crisis. “It is U.S. policy that has failed,” Petro said in response to the designation. “To reduce coca leaf cultivation, what is needed is not glyphosate sprayed from planes, but rather a decrease in demand for cocaine, fundamentally in the United States and Europe.””
[28] Hussein, F., & Lee, M. (2025, October 24). US imposes sanctions on Colombia’s president and family members over drug trade allegations. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/trump-colombia-petro-sanctions-drug-trafficking-1b6ead338ec266b3df40859db6ee2d8d. “The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade, sharply escalating tensions with the leftist leader of one of the closest U.S. allies in South America. The Treasury Department leveled the penalties against Petro; his wife, Veronica del Socorro Alcocer Garcia; his son, Nicolas Fernando Petro Burgos; and Colombian Interior Minister Armando Alberto Benedetti. Petro “has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation.” The move ramps up a growing clash between the Republican U.S. president and Colombia’s first leftist leader, notably over deadly American strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats off South America.”
[29] Latina Republic. (2025, December 26). Ecuador tightens border controls with Colombia and Peru. https://latinarepublic.com/2025/12/26/ecuador-tightens-border-controls-with-colombia-and-peru/. “Ecuador has restricted most of its border crossings with Colombia and Peru, leaving only two key international points open, citing national security concerns. The decision comes as the country faces escalating violence linked to organized crime and narco-trafficking along its northern and southern frontiers. On the northern border, the Rumichaca crossing in Carchi province— connecting Ecuador to Colombia’s Nariño department—remains fully operational for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. To the south, the Huaquillas crossing linking El Oro province with Tumbes in Peru continues to handle legal trade and travel. Other alternative crossings, including the Chiles–Tufiño, Urbina–Santa Fe, and El Carmelo–La Victoria bridges, have been closed, with physical barriers in place to prevent passage. Residents in these areas have expressed concern, as family ties and local commerce across the border are severely disrupted. The closures affect not only travelers but also cross-border trade and daily life. Authorities report normal operations at the remaining open points, with migration offices functioning 24 hours a day, even during the holiday period. Travelers like Jairo Paternina, moving from Medellín to Manta, described quick processing at Ecuadorian checkpoints. Local residents traveling to Colombia for shopping or business continue to move freely through Rumichaca, while approximately 70% of passengers flying between the two countries are Ecuadorian, according to regional travel operators.”
[30] Ewing, G. R. (2025, December 10). ‘He’s going to be next’: Trump threatens Colombian president. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/10/trump-threatens-colombian-president-00685742. “Colombia is producing a lot of drugs,” Trump said. “So he better wise up or he’ll be next. He’ll be next soon. I hope he’s listening, he’s going to be next.”
[31] Cohen, V. (2025, February 6). US to seize second Maduro-owned plane in Dominican Republic. Colombia One. https://colombiaone.com/2025/02/06/us-maduro-plane-dominican-republic/. “The U.S. will seize a second plane belonging to Venezuela’s contested President Nicolas Maduro in the Dominican Republic. The announcement will be made later today as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits the Caribbean island, the final stop on his Latin American tour. The Trump administration does not officially recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president, instead backing opposition leader Edmundo González, whom it recognizes as the winner of the July 2024 presidential election.”
Iran
[32] Thomas, C. (2025, August 19). U.S. sanctions on Iran (IF12452, Version 6). Congressional Research Service. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12452/6. “U.S. sanctions on Iran block Iranian government assets in the United States, ban nearly all U.S. trade with Iran, and prohibit foreign assistance and arms sales. U.S. law authorizes sanctions targeting • Iran’s energy sector, including foreign corporations that invest in it and entities that buy, sell, or transport Iranian oil; • Iran’s financial sector, including its Central Bank; • Additional sectors of Iran’s economy, including shipping, construction, mining, textiles, automotive, and manufacturing, as well as entities that conduct other economic sectors in a bid to deny the Iranian government financial resources and compel it to make policy changes. In enacting these authorities, Congress mandated that to waive or lift sanctions, the President must certify that Iran is meeting certain conditions, including that the Iranian government has ceased its support of international terrorism and its proliferation activities. In 2015, after several years of multilateral negotiations, Iran, the United States, and several other countries concluded the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), whereby Iran limited its nuclear activities and subjected them to additional international inspections and monitoring in return for relief from many U.S. and international sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. sanctions related to Iran’s continued support for international terrorism, human rights abuses, and missile development remained in place. In 2018, citing the limited duration of certain JCPOA restrictions and Iran’s continued malign activities, the Trump Administration ceased U.S. participation in the JCPOA and reimposed all U.S. sanctions that had been eased pursuant to the JCPOA. These and other new restrictions were part of a “maximum pressure” policy with the stated goal of compelling Iran to negotiate an expanded accord. Iran did not do so under the first Trump Administration and since 2019 has exceeded JCPOA-mandated limits on its nuclear activities. Biden Administration officials initially sought to revive the JCPOA, but U.S.-Iran talks broke down in 2022 amid a violent Iranian government crackdown on protests. The Biden Administration did not issue any new sanctions authorities but continued to designate for sanctions Iranian and third-country-based entities pursuant to existing U.S. laws and executive orders. Some Members of Congress called for what they described as more robust sanctions enforcement, including through additional designations. On February 4, 2025, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum directing the imposition of maximum pressure on Iran’s government, including “a robust and continual sanctions enforcement campaign … that denies the regime and its terror proxies access to revenue.” U.S. and Iranian officials engaged in indirect negotiations around Iran’s nuclear program and possible sanctions relief starting in April 2025, but those talks appear moribund in the wake of the June 2025 Israel-Iran- U.S. conflict. Before, during, and after the conflict, the second Trump Administration designated for sanctions hundreds of additional targets for their role in, among other sanctionable activities, the illicit sale of Iranian oil, Iran’s procurement of materials for its ballistic missile and other military programs, serious human rights abuses against the Iranian people, and the probable abduction and death of U.S. citizen Robert Levinson.”
[33] U.S. Department of State. (2025, December 18). Iran sanctions. https://www.state.gov/iran-sanctions/. “Here is the plain text of all releases, executive orders, statutes, and UN resolutions listed in the document. Recent Releases & Actions
DECEMBER 18, 2025: Cracking Down on Iran’s Shadow Fleet
NOVEMBER 20, 2025: Sanctioning Illicit Networks Engaged in Iranian Petroleum Trade
NOVEMBER 20, 2025: Sanctioning Entities That Have Traded in Iran’s Petroleum
OCTOBER 9, 2025: Sweeping Sanctions on Iran’s Energy Exports
OCTOBER 9, 2025: Sanctioning Entities Trading in Iranian Petroleum and Petrochemicals
SEPTEMBER 12, 2025: Sanctioning Sudanese Armed Group Leader and Islamist Militia with Links to Iran
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025: Sanctioning Smugglers of Iranian Oil through Iraq
AUGUST 21, 2025: Sanctioning Facilitators of Iran’s Illicit Oil Sales
AUGUST 21, 2025: Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
AUGUST 7, 2025: Sanctioning Facilitators of Iran Sanctions Circumvention and Political Oppression
JULY 30, 2025: Sanctioning Facilitators of Iran’s Petroleum and Petrochemical Trade
JULY 3, 2025: Sanctions on Oil Smugglers Exporting Iranian Oil
JULY 3, 2025: Treasury Targets Diverse Networks Facilitating Iranian Oil Trade
JUNE 6, 2025: Sanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders
JUNE 6, 2025: Treasury Sanctions Iranian Network Laundering Billions for Regime Through Shadow Banking Scheme
MAY 8, 2025: Third China-Based “Teapot” Refinery Designated for Violating Iran Sanctions
APRIL 30, 2025: Maximum Pressure Sanctions on Illicit Traders of Iranian Oil and Petrochemical Products
APRIL 30, 2025: Maximum Pressure Sanctions on Illicit Traders of Iranian Petroleum and Petrochemical Products
APRIL 22, 2025: Sanctioning a Liquified Petroleum Gas Shipping Network to Further Pressure Iran
APRIL 16, 2025: Sanctioning a China-Based “Teapot” Refinery to Pressure Iran Further
APRIL 10, 2025: Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
APRIL 10, 2025: Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
MARCH 20, 2025: Sanctioning Additional Entities That Have Traded in Iran’s Petroleum
MARCH 20, 2025: Sanctioning Entities Purchasing and Transporting Iranian Oil to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
MARCH 13, 2025: Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Minister and Shadow Fleet to Exert Maximum Pressure
MARCH 13, 2025: Sanctioning Service Providers That Facilitate Iran’s Crude Oil Trade
FEBRUARY 26, 2025: New Sanctions Increase Pressure on Iran’s UAV and Ballistic Missile Programs
FEBRUARY 24, 2025: Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Trade to Reimpose Maximum Pressure
FEBRUARY 24, 2025: Sanctioning Entities That Have Traded in Iran’s Petroleum
FEBRUARY 6, 2025: Sanctioning Networks Channeling Revenue to Iran’s Military
Executive Orders
FEBRUARY 4, 2025: Imposing Maximum Pressure on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Denying Iran all Paths to a Nuclear Weapon, and Countering Iran’s Malign Influence
JUNE 24, 2019: Executive Order Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Iran
AUGUST 6, 2018: Executive Order 13846; Reimposing Certain Sanctions With Respect to Iran
JANUARY 16, 2016: Executive Order 13716; Revocation of Executive Orders 13574, 13590, 13622, and 13645 With Respect to Iran, Amendment of Executive Order 13628 With Respect to Iran
JUNE 3, 2013: Executive Order 13645; Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 and Additional Sanctions With Respect to Iran
OCTOBER 9, 2012: Executive Order 13628; Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 and Additional Sanctions With Respect to Iran
JULY 30, 2012: Executive Order 13622; Authorizing Additional Sanctions with Respect to Iran
MAY 1, 2012: Executive Order 13608; Prohibiting Certain Transactions With and Suspending Entry Into the United States of Foreign Sanctions Evaders With Respect to Iran and Syria
APRIL 23, 2012: Executive Order 13606; Blocking the Property and Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons with Respect to Grave Human Rights Abuses by the Governments of Iran and Syria via Information Technology
NOVEMBER 23, 2011: Executive Order 13590; Authorizing the Imposition of Certain Sanctions With Respect to the Provision of Goods, Services, Technology, or Support for Iran's Energy and Petrochemical Sectors
MARCH 17, 1995: Executive Order 12957; Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to the Development of Iranian Petroleum Resources
Statutes
2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Bill: Subtitle D - Iran Sanctions
The Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, as amended (ISA)
The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA)
Section 1245 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (ITRSHRA)
United Nations Security Council Resolutions
UNSCR 1929 (2010)
UNSCR 1803 (2008)
UNSCR 1747 (2007)
UNSCR 1737 (2006)”
[34] Collins, M. (2024, October 11). Biden administration imposes fresh sanctions on Iran over missile attack on Israel. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/11/iran-sanctions-missile-israel/75633808007/. “The Biden administration slapped fresh sanctions on Iran’s petroleum industry on Friday in retaliation for Tehran’s massive missile attack on Israel last week. The Treasury Department announced that the sanctions would target “the shadow fleet” of tankers and illicit operators that help transport the Iranian regime’s petroleum exports in violation of existing sanctions. The new punitive measures designate 10 entities in multiple jurisdictions and 17 vessels as “blocked property” under a federal law that allows the federal government to freeze a company’s assets and property in the United States. Those targeted are sanctioned “for their involvement in shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products,” the announcement said.”
[35] Deliso, M. (2025, June 21). What was in the Iran nuclear deal and why did Trump withdraw the US from it? ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/iran-nuclear-deal-trump-united-states/story?id=123020009. “The JCPOA, which imposed restrictions on Iran’s civilian nuclear enrichment program in exchange for sanctions relief, was signed on July 14, 2015. It was agreed to by Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- as well as Germany and the European Union. The JCPOA was designed to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful and provided for the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "It blocks every possible pathway Iran could use to build a nuclear bomb while ensuring -- through a comprehensive, intrusive, and unprecedented verification and transparency regime -- that Iran’s nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful moving forward," Obama's White House said at the time.”
[36] Chang, E. (2026, January 2). Trump warns US is 'locked and loaded' if Iran kills peaceful protesters. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-warns-us-locked-loaded-iran-kills-peaceful/story?id=128845602. “President Donald Trump said overnight the United States is "locked and loaded" as he warned Iran not to kill peaceful protesters as nationwide unrest unfolds in Tehran. In a post on his social media platform early Friday morning, Trump vowed that "if Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters," then the U.S. would step in and "rescue" them. The president did not specify by what means such a "rescue" would occur, but he added that the U.S is "locked and loaded and ready to go."”
[37] Willis, A. (2026, January 10). ‘The USA stands ready to help!’ Trump issues ominous hint at next foreign intervention. Raw Story. https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2674872009/. “President Donald Trump issued an ominous hint Saturday at what may be his administration’s next foreign intervention following the U.S. attack on Venezuela last week. “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump’s remark comes as his administration and Republican lawmakers renew calls to topple Iran’s government, following a surge of protests last week across the country amid a deepening economic crisis.”
[38] Gambrell, J. (2025, July 30). Internet access cut out in Iran after protests. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-us-israel-war-nuclear-economy-ebddd998fbe7903e70ca62127250ebcb. “Iran’s government cut off the country from the internet and international telephone calls Thursday night as a nighttime demonstration called by the country’s exiled crown prince drew a mass of protesters to shout from their windows and storm the streets.”
[39] P., N. (2026, January 9). Iran v plamenih besa: režim ugasnil internet, množice kričijo »Smrt Islamski republiki!« Slovenske novice. https://slovenskenovice.delo.si/novice/svet/iran-v-plamenih-besa-rezim-ugasnil-internet-mnozice-kricjo-smrt-islamski-republiki-so-ajatoli-steti-dnevi. “Iran is flooded with a wave of protests that will not subside despite the information cloud - on the contrary, foreign media reports (BBC, Al Jazeera, AP) say that it is stopping. The state practically cut off the area from the world: they turned off the Internet, cut off international telephone connections, and in some cases even "cut off" landline lines. On the streets - at least after the videos that came out before the storm - people are shouting against theocracy, lighting fires and demanding the end of the regime. The riots broke out on December 28 after the collapse of the economy and the currency, which made it hard in the world - the rial fell to approximately 1.4 million per one US dollar in December. Since then, it has been the 12th night that protesters have returned to the streets across the country, including in Tehran. Since communication is interrupted, the exact scope of the protests cannot be reliably confirmed, and the little things that are escaping indicate something much bigger than the usual outbursts of discontent. The key impetus was allegedly triggered by the appeal of the exiled son of the last Iranian shah, Reza Pahlavi, who invited people to come to the streets at 8 p.m. - first on Thursday, then on Friday. The narrators described that at that hour the cries of "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to the Islamic Republic!" were heard in the neighborhoods of Tehran, sometimes even slogans that once seemed unimaginable: "This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return! In some places, people - according to the footage that the BBC checked - raised an old pre-revolutionary flag with a lion and a sun and shouted "Long live the king", which shows how far the dam on the street has moved.”
[40] Frehse, L. (2025, July 30). Proteste im Iran: Die Angst des Ali Chamenei. Die Zeit. https://www.zeit.de/2026/02/iran-proteste-ali-chamenei-usa. “Iran's head of state Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must see himself threatened from all sides. Protests have spread in their own country, currently especially in small towns. With Nicolás Maduro, Iran has already lost another ally. And the operation of the US military in Caracas had not yet begun, when Donald Trump was already threatening Tehran on social media: If Iran shoots demonstrators, the USA would intervene. "We are unsecured and ready to go." The Iranian leadership, on the other hand, seems like the exact opposite: blocked and wedged. First to the demonstrations: They are reminiscent of past waves of protest, also in 2019 Iranians had taken to the streets after price increases; in 2022, after the violent death of Mahsa Amini, masses also rose up in Tehran. So far, the demonstrations that began at the end of December have neither the dimension of past protests nor the free
momentum. At the beginning of the week, the most of the penniless were demonstrating in the province. Tehrans report on the phone in amazement of their courage of despair. Videos show security forces shooting sharply - and demonstrators pushing on undeterred. The regime reacts differently this time. The internet is slowed down, but not shut down. There is shooting, but initially the security forces proceeded less in a slyly - before Donald Trump threatened. The Iranian leadership announced new subsidies and tried to discredit the protest as interference from the outside: The USA and Israel rocked the people with agents to plunge the country into chaos, according to the regime narrative. The anger at the leadership is enormous. But on the phone, Tehran also express doubts and fear of chaos, because an organized opposition is not ready. On social media, videos circulating that invoke a new Shah regime, apparently spread by right-wing forces in Israel and the USA.”
[41] Loehrke, J., Padilla, R., Chernikoff, S., Beard, S. J., & Procell, C. (2025, June 17). US-Iran-Israel timeline: From Israeli attack to Iran's retaliation, US bombing and ceasefire. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2025/06/17/israel-iran-timeline-maps-graphics/84240285007/. “June 12-13 Israel conducted the first strikes of an air campaign targeting Iran's nuclear program and leadership at 8 p.m. ET…June 14 The Israeli military struck an unspecified underground weapons facility in western Iran, according to ISW. Iranian state media reported that Israel bombed multiple energy facilities in southern Iran. South Pars field – the world's largest gasfield – was struck along with the Fajr Jam gas plant. Iran's Petroleum Ministry confirmed that the Shahran depot was also targeted by Israel…June 15 Israel and Iran continued to exchange airstrikes, ISW reported. Israel also targeted Iranian government buildings, such as the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry in Tehran and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Iran sent hundreds of drones and missiles to Israel, damaging the country's largest oil refinery near the port city of Haifa and the Weizmann Institute of Science, a top research center in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal…June 16 An Israeli strike hit Iran's state broadcaster on Monday June 16 and bombed a command center of an elite Iranian military unit, the New York Times reported. That same day, Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike…June 17 Israel hit Iranian cities with bombs and some Iranian missiles evaded Israel's iron dome defense system…June 18 The ongoing aerial war between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day. More than 220 Iranians have been killed and at least 1,200 injured since the bombardment began, Iranian state media reported. Two dozen Israelis have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, officials said…June 21 The United States entered Israel's war against Iran after attacking nuclear facilities with stealth bombers, a guided missile submarine, and an array of support aircraft in a night operation. More than a dozen multi-million-dollar, 30,000-pound "bunker busters" were dropped by B-2 Spirit stealth bombers…June 23 Iran retaliated by firing 14 missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar on after warning the U.S. that they were coming. Thirteen were intercepted and a 14th was deemed nonthreatening. Trump thanked Iran for helping the U.S. avoid casualties in the attack and announced a ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel later that evening…June 24 Trump chastised Israel for accusing Iran of ceasefire violations and ordering new strikes, saying he was "not happy" with either country as he spoke to reporters while leaving Washington for a NATO summit in Europe. A preliminary Pentagon intelligence assessment has found the U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months, according to a U.S. government source familiar with the intelligence findings. Early evidence has shown the bombing did not reach depths necessary to destroy the facilities, which are buried deeply underground, according to a second U.S. official.”
[42] Psaropoulos, J. T. (2025, June 24). Is the 12-day Israel-Iran war really over – and who gained what? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/24/is-the-12-day-israel-iran-war-really-over-and-who-gained. “Since Sunday, Israel and Iran have lurched from escalating war to fragile ceasefire. A truce seems to be holding, and what US President Donald Trump called “The 12 Day War” between Israel and Iran seems to be over –for now. Meanwhile, Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran’s leaders have all claimed that the pause in the conflict happened on their terms.”
[43] Al Jazeera. (2023, June 18). Why are the US and Iran holding talks and why does it matter? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/18/why-are-the-us-and-iran-holding-talks-and-why-does-it-matter. “US and Iranian officials have been holding closed-door negotiations, including indirect talks in Oman, to de-escalate tensions in the region, in an attempt to curb Tehran’s nuclear programme and release American prisoners, officials have said. Both sides have not publicly spoken about the nature of the talks, which are taking place after several failed attempts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which put curbs on Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief, signed between Iran and several world powers.”
[44] Atlantic Council, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. (2024). The future of U.S. strategy toward Iran: A bipartisan roadmap for the next administration. Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-future-of-US-strategy-toward-Iran.pdf. “The events of October 7, the war in Gaza, Iran’s April 2024 direct attack on Israel for the first time and Israel’s response, continued malign activity by Iranian proxies in the region, challenges to global shipping, Iran’s efforts to interfere with the 2024 US election, and Iran’s continued nuclear weapons progress all highlight the criticality and centrality of the Middle East for US foreign policy, even as it might prefer to be able to focus on Asia.112 The geographic reality, let alone the sustained and emerging conflicts in the region, requires Washington to prioritize the Middle East in its strategic calculus and will demand a continued, and potentially expanded, commitment of resources and leadership for the foreseeable future...Meanwhile, Tehran’s growing relationship with Russia and China—seen most recently in their sixth joint naval defense exercise in the Persian Gulf—will require the United States to increasingly factor the challenge of great-power competition into its Middle East policy. Divergent Russian and Chinese interests in the Middle East, with Moscow focused on gaining Tehran’s military help in Ukraine while Beijing is trying to avoid alienating either Iran or the Gulf states, create an opportunity for the United States to drive a wedge by appealing to China’s interest in stability in the region and the prestige of joint leadership in seeking to enhance regional security. As Iran advances closer to the nuclear-weapons threshold, the United States must urgently seek to refocus world attention on the threat a nuclear-armed Iran poses. This will require working with Western and regional allies to rebuild a multilateral sanctions regime and threats of further political isolation, for example, by Gulf states threatening to end their current détente with the Islamic Republic. Stepped-up pressure on Iran on the nuclear issue, however, should include the message that the United States is open to resuming a dialogue if Iran is willing to hold direct talks on restraining and rolling back its program in return for sanctions relief. Finally, the United States must recognize that applying economic, diplomatic, and military pressure to Iran will, at best, result in tactical retreats by the hard-liners in control in Tehran, who will remain wedded to their goals of ending the US presence in the Middle East, destroying the Jewish state, and establishing Iran as the dominant player in the region. But Washington can help plant the seeds of freedom in Iran by beginning to provide the Iranian people the resources and support that will be required in the long term to decide the future that they want for themselves—one marked by freedom and liberty, instead of tyranny and brutality.” (p. 36)
Syria
[45] The Telegraph Foreign Staff. (2024, December 2). US in talks to lift Syria sanctions if it cuts ties with Iran and blocks weapon routes to Hezbollah. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/02/us-talks-syria-sanctions-iran-uae-weapons-hezbollah-assad/. “The US has discussed lifting sanctions on Syria if it cuts ties with Iran and blocks weapons smuggling routes to Hezbollah. Multiple sources told news agency Reuters that American officials had entered talks with the UAE about joint action to relax restrictions on Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The conversations have intensified in recent months, driven by the possible expiry on Dec 20 of sweeping US sanctions on Syria and by Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s regional network, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and Iranian assets in Syria. The discussions took place before anti-Assad rebels swept into Aleppo last week in their biggest offensive in Syria for years. According to the sources, the new rebel advance is a signal of precisely the sort of weakness in Assad’s alliance with Iran that the Emirati and US initiative aims to exploit. However, if Assad embraces Iranian help for a counter-offensive, that could complicate efforts to drive a wedge between them.”
[46] Krieger, H. L. (2011, April 29). US slaps new sanctions on Syria over crackdown. The Jerusalem Post. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/us-slaps-new-sanctions-on-syria-over-crackdown/article-218483. “The Obama administration slapped sanctions on Syria Friday in response to its bloody crackdown on civilian protesters – its boldest action since anti-regime demonstrations erupted weeks ago. The measures target Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brother and cousin, who head security services involved in the attacks on protesters – as well as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, which the US accuses of helping suppress the protests. In a letter to Congress explaining the new sanctions, US President Barack Obama referred to the “repression of the Syrian people,” and highlighted the use of torture and arbitrary arrest of protesters. “We call on President Assad to change course now, and heed the calls of his own people,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement released after the sanctions were imposed. “We have all grown increasingly alarmed by the violence unleashed against the Syrian people,” said John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in welcoming the decision. “We need to increase the political and economic pressure so President Assad understands that he must end the violence and embrace reforms.” He continued, “The administration’s imposition of tough economic sanctions against the perpetrators of these grave human-rights abuses is appropriate. It puts Syria’s leaders on notice that decisions to kill unarmed civilians have consequences.” Though the US already has sanctions against Syria, the administration hopes other countries will follow its lead to give the move more power.”
[47] Al Jazeera. (2025, May 13). US decision to lift sanctions on Syria: Here’s what you need to know. Al Jazeera. Retrieved January 12, 2026, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/13/us-decision-to-lift-sanctions-on-syria-heres-what-you-need-to-know. “United States President Donald Trump has announced that US sanctions on Syria will be lifted, in a huge boost to the government in Damascus, which took power after the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. “There’s a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilising the country and keeping peace,” Trump said in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the first of a three-day visit to the Middle East, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.” Trump is also expected to meet Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh on Wednesday, in a further signal to the world that the international isolation of Syria should end.”
[48] Hersh, S. M. (2014, April 17). The red line and the rat line: Erdoğan and the Syrian rebels. London Review of Books, 36(8). https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v36/n08/seymour-m.-hersh/the-red-line-and-the-rat-line. “The joint chiefs also knew that the Obama administration’s public claims that only the Syrian army had access to sarin were wrong. The American and British intelligence communities had been aware since the spring of 2013 that some rebel units in Syria were developing chemical weapons. On 20 June analysts for the US Defense Intelligence Agency issued a highly classified five-page ‘talking points’ briefing for the DIA’s deputy director, David Shedd, which stated that al-Nusra maintained a sarin production cell: its programme, the paper said, was ‘the most advanced sarin plot since al- Qaida’s pre-9/11 effort’. ”
[49] Kelly, L. (2025, July 7). US lifting terrorist designation on Syria's HTS. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/international/5387667-trump-revokes-terrorist-designation-hayat-tahrir/. “The Trump administration announced Monday it is revoking the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group responsible for the overthrow of Syria’s longtime dictator Bashar Assad but which grew out of an al Qaeda branch in the country. The removal of the terrorist designation comes about a week after President Trump directed the State Department to review HTS’s status as a terrorist group, part of a wide-ranging executive order lifting layers of sanctions on the country. The removal was directed through a memo dated June 23 from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and published in a preview of the Federal Register before official publication Tuesday. “Tomorrow’s action follows the announced dissolution of HTS and the Syrian government’s commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms,” Rubio said in a statement released Monday afternoon. “This action also builds on the momentum of the June 30 Executive Order ‘Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions’ and recognizes the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This FTO revocation is an important step in fulfilling President Trump’s vision of a stable, unified, and peaceful Syria.” Trump directed the removal of sanctions on Syria to give the country “a chance” to rebuild following Assad’s ousting. ”
[50] Sanchez, R. (2013, September 3). First Syria rebels armed and trained by CIA 'on way to battlefield'. The Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10283758/First-Syria-rebels-armed-and-trained-by-CIA-on-way-to-battlefield.html. “During a meeting at the White House, the president assured Senator John McCain that after months of delay the US was meeting its commitment to back moderate elements of the opposition. Mr Obama said that a 50-man cell, believed to have been trained by US special forces in Jordan, was making its way across the border into Syria, according to the New York Times. The deployment of the rebel unit seems to be the first tangible measure of support since Mr Obama announced in June that the US would begin providing the opposition with small arms. Congressional opposition delayed the plan for several weeks and rebel commanders publicly complained the US was still doing nothing to match the Russian-made firepower of the Assad regime. Mr McCain has been a chief critic of the White House's reluctance to become involved in Syria and has long demanded that Mr Obama provide the rebels with arms needed to overthrow the regime. He and Senator Lindsey Graham, a fellow Republican foreign policy hawk, emerged from the Oval Office meeting on Monday cautiously optimistic that Mr Obama would step up support for the rebels.”
[51] Watkins. A. (2017, July 21). Top general confirms end to secret U.S. program in Syria. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/21/tony-thomas-syria-secret-program-cia-240818. “U.S. Special Operations Commander Tony Thomas confirmed Friday that the U.S. had ended its covert program aiding rebel groups fighting against Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying the decision was made after assessing the years-long operation’s capabilities and by no means an effort to curry favor with Assad’s chief backer, Moscow. Thomas almost immediately tried to walk back his comments after leaving the stage, telling reporters he hadn’t confirmed anything and was referring only to “public reporting.” Reports surfaced earlier this week that the Trump administration had decided to end the 2013 Obama-led program, in which the CIA armed and trained various rebel groups in Syria and the region who were fighting against Assad in the country’s years-long civil war. Its end had not been officially confirmed before Friday”
[52] DeYoung, K. (2017, July 19). Trump ends covert CIA program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, a move sought by Moscow. The Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-ends-covert-cia-program-to-arm-anti-assad-rebels-in-syria-a-move-sought-by-moscow/2017/07/19/b6821a62-6beb-11e7-96ab-5f38140b38cc_story.html. “Just three months ago, after the United States accused Assad of using chemical weapons, Trump launched retaliatory airstrikes against a Syrian air base. At the time, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, said that “in no way do we see peace in that area with Assad at the head of the Syrian government.” Officials said Trump made the decision to scrap the CIA program nearly a month ago, after an Oval Office meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and national security adviser H.R. McMaster ahead of a July 7 meeting in Germany with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
[53] France 24. (2024, December 20). US scraps terrorist bounty for Syria’s HTS leader after first official talks. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20241220/us-diplomats-meet-with-syria-s-new-ruler. “The US on Friday dropped its $10 million reward for the capture of Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group, following the first in-person official meeting in Damascus between the two sides.”
[54] Middle East Eye. (2024, December 11). Did the US fund the Syrian rebels that toppled Assad?https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/did-us-fund-syrian-rebels-toppled-assad. “After Syrian opposition forces led an offensive that rapidly swept through Syria's major cities in a matter of weeks and ultimately led to the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, US President Joe Biden publicly took credit for the rebel takeover. "Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said earlier this week. "Through this combination of support for our partners, sanctions, and diplomacy and targeted military force when necessary, we now see new opportunities opening up for the people of Syria and for the entire region." Biden's comments, as well as a deluge of commentary claiming that Washington - and Israel - were secretly behind the offensive, have caused questions to resurface about the US's role in Syria over the past decade and a half. Under the Barack Obama administration, the United States first entered the Syrian civil war in 2013 through CIA operations, and later in 2014, when US troops were deployed to fight the Islamic State (IS) group that had taken over large swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory.”
[55] Al Masdar News. (2020, November 14). Senior official boasts about lying to Trump about US military withdrawal from Syria. Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20201114123556/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/senior-official-boasts-about-lying-to-trump-about-us-military-withdrawal-from-syria/. “Biden is known to have been an active proponent within the Obama administration of the CIA’s ‘Operation Timber Sycamore’ to provide arms, supplies and training to the thousands of jihadist militants who signed up to fight the Syrian government starting in 2012. The covert operation was closed down by the Trump administration in 2017.”
[56] Gramer, R., Bazail-Eimil, E., & Toosi, N. (2024, December 9). Do Syria’s liberators still deserve the terrorist label? Politico.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2024/12/09/do-syrias-liberators-still-deserve-the-terrorist-label-00183727. “Can a terrorist group change its ways? That’s the question top national security officials are pondering as they take stock of the Islamist insurgent group that led the overthrow of BASHAR AL- ASSAD’s regime in Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s toppling of Assad dealt a major blow to Iran and Russia, who propped up the Assad regime for their own geopolitical gains. But HTS, led by ABU MOHAMMED AL-GOLANI, is also a U.S.-designated terror organization. Al-Golani was linked with al Qaeda for years, but cut ties with al Qaeda and denounced the group in 2016. Since then, he’s been on a campaign to rebrand himself and HTS, the umbrella organization of formerly fractured militant groups, as a moderate force to oppose Assad. There’s a furious debate playing out in Washington over what to make of HTS, according to four current and former U.S. officials familiar with the discussions, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal policy deliberations. “There is a huge scramble to see if, and how, and when we can delist HTS,” said one of the current officials.”
[57] Øystein H. Rolandsen & Kjetil Selvik (2024) Disposable rebels: US military
assistance to insurgents in the Syrian war, Mediterranean Politics, 29:4, 528-549, DOI:
10.1080/13629395.2023.2183664 (direct link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13629395.2023.2183664) “Third, the security assistance counter-acted any attempt among the rebels to become self-sufficient (Hughes, 2014). Locked in conflicts with other insurgents and failing to win support in society, the Western-backed rebels found themselves with few alternatives to submitting to an outside patron. When the US turned to Kurdish fighters to defeat ISIL, and eventually ended the covert support programme Timber Sycamore in 2017, Turkey capitalized of this and took a broad range of Syrian fighters under its umbrella. Ankara used Arab and Turkmen rebels as ground troops in its 2016 Operation Euphrates Shield against ISIL, the 2018 Operation Olive Branch against the YPG-held region of Afrin, and the October 2019 Operation Peace Spring leading to the capture of the ethnically mixed areas Tell Abyad and Ras al-‘Ayn from the Kurds (Al-Hilu, 2021; Pierret, 2021). In 2020, it also sent Syrian fighters to defend Turkey’s interests in the armed conflicts in Libya and
Azerbaijan. In short, the rebels entered another state’s payroll when the US withdrew its support.”
[58] Le Monde. (2024, December 14). US has made 'direct contact' with Syria's victorious HTS, Blinken says. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/united-states/article/2024/12/14/blinken-says-us-has-made-direct-contact-with-syria-s-victorious-hts_6736073_133.html. “American officials have been in direct contact with the terrorist-designated rebel group that led the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday, December 15. Blinken, speaking at a news conference in Jordan, was the first US official to publicly confirm contacts between the Biden administration and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , or HTS, which led a coalition of armed opposition groups that drove Assad from power and into asylum in Russia last weekend.”
Pakistan
[59] Khan, S. (2022, September 30). Copy of cipher 'missing' from PM House records, cabinet told. Dawn. https://www.dawn.com/news/1712744. “The Federal cabinet was on Friday informed that a copy of the diplomatic cipher carrying the details of the US’s purported threat to ex-premier Imran Khan’s government was “missing” from Prime Minister House records. The cipher, based on then-envoy Asad Majeed’s meeting with State Department official Donald Lu, has been at the centre of PTI’s claim that the US conspired with elements within Pakistan to dislodge Imran from office. A handout issued after a meeting of the cabinet declared that the “theft” of diplomatic cipher records is an “unforgivable crime” and violation of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. After detailed deliberations, the cabinet formed a special committee which will determine the legal action to be taken against all those involved, including the ex-premier, ex-principal secretary to prime minister and senior ministers…Imran’s allegation that the US spearheaded his exit from power was based on a cipher received from Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed, in which the envoy had reported about a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu. Majeed had reportedly said that Donald Lu warned that Imran Khan’s continuation in office, who was set to face a vote of no confidence, would have repercussions on bilateral relations. The US was said to be annoyed with Imran over his “independent foreign policy” and visit to Moscow.”
[60] Khan, S. (2022, March 31). NSC decides to issue strong demarche to unnamed country over 'threat letter'. Dawn. https://www.dawn.com/news/1682723. “The National Security Committee (NSC) decided on Thursday to issue a "strong demarche" to a country, that it did not name, over a 'threat letter' — purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust the PTI-led government — terming it "blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan". The meeting of the NSC, which is the highest forum for coordination on security issues, was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. It was attended by ministers for defence, energy, information and broadcasting, interior, finance, human rights, planning, development and special initiatives, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, services chiefs, national security adviser and senior officers. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), NSA Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee about the "formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country" to Pakistan's ambassador in that country in a formal meeting which was subsequently conveyed. "The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic," the statement said, adding that the meeting concluded that it amounted to "blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question". It termed the interference "unacceptable under any circumstances".”
[61] Voice of America. (2023, August 9). Purported text of secret cable shows US ire at Imran Khan. https://www.voanews.com/a/purported-text-of-secret-cable-shows-us-ire-at-imran-khan-/7219123.html. “According to Ambassador Khan’s purported cable, the State Department officials at the meeting encouraged him to tell Pakistan's powerful military that if Khan were removed from office over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Islamabad could expect warmer relations with Washington. Miller was asked Wednesday at his regular news briefing whether he would know the veracity of the leaked Pakistan cable or offer a reaction to the reported U.S. comments…In his reported cipher, the ambassador said that the State Department officials warned him that if Khan were not ousted, Pakistan would face economic and political isolation…The leaked cipher identified the U.S. official leading the conversation as Donald Lu, assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs.”
[62] Chaudhry, F. (2022, April 9). Imran Khan loses no-trust vote, prime ministerial term comes to unceremonious end. Dawn.com. https://www.dawn.com/news/1684168. “The opposition's no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan succeeded an hour past midnight on Sunday, with 174 members in the 342- strong house voting in favour of the resolution. PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the session after Asad Qaiser resigned as speaker, announced the result, after which Imran Khan ceased to hold the office of prime minister, according to Article 95 of the Constitution. Imran Khan is the first prime minister in Pakistan's history to have been removed from office through a no-confidence vote. Before him, Shaukat Aziz in 2006, and Benazir Bhutto in 1989, survived the moves against them. PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said Sadiq could not cast his vote as he was chairing the session. PTI dissenting members did not cast their votes either.”
[63] Zaman, S. (2024, March 20). US diplomat denies pushing Pakistani PM Khan out of office. VOA News. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-diplomat-denies-pushing-pakistani-pm-khan-out-of-office/7535968.html. “A top U.S. diplomat for South and Central Asia has for the first time publicly addressed allegations of conspiring to oust Pakistan's then-Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022. Testifying before the House Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu rejected the charge that he or his government played a role in fomenting Khan's ouster.”
[64] US State Department once again dodges question on Imran Khan. (2025, March 20). GEO.tv. https://www.geo.tv/latest/596252-us-state-department-once-again-dodges-question-on-imran-khan. “The US State Department has again refrained from directly addressing questions regarding former prime minister Imran Khan’s imprisonment. During a Wednesday press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on “the internal frameworks of another country” when pressed on the issue. During her press briefing, when asked by a journalist from a Pakistani newspaper whether US President Donald Trump would take “some sort of action” on Khan being jailed as “the most popular leader with the majority number of seats in parliament”. The journalist also went on to elaborate that in the last two years Pakistan’s democracy, women’s rights and “everything” had been “shattered”, asking the State Department spokesperson if the new US administration would do anything since “thousands of his new voters in the US and millions of Pakistanis” are expecting Trump to take action. Without directly mentioning Pakistan, Khan, or anything related to the country, Bruce categorically stated that she was “not going to comment on the internal frameworks of another country”. Adding that it has been eight weeks since Trump took office, she said “a lot is going on” and anything regarding the US president’s “intentions and actions” can be found out by “reaching out to the White House”. The spokesperson then seemed to veer off on a tangent and said that both Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have “made it clear” that “we care about the planet. We care about our neighbours. We care about what’s happening on the globe. And that’s been evidenced by our actions”. "I’ve been skipping around you here, and there’s no reason for that," she said concluding the response. This is the second time in two weeks that the US State Department spokesperson has avoided giving a direct response to a question about the imprisonment of party founder Imran Khan. Earlier on March 6, during a media briefing, a clarification had been sought on the expected support for Khan from US President Trump, the spokesperson had then too chosen to sidestep the question.”
[65] Rakisits, C. (2025, August 15). How the ouster and jailing of Imran Khan enabled closer ties between Pakistan and the US. Asialink. https://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/diplomacy/how-ouster-and-jailing-imran-khan-enabled-closer-ties-between-pakistan-and-us/. “Two years ago this month, Khan was jailed for three years for alleged misuse of his office to buy and sell gifts in state possession. He has not been seen in public since. In January, he was sentenced to an additional 14 years in a corruption case linked to a Pakistani businessman. As of December 2024, prosecutors had filed 186 cases against Khan. His jail conditions are harsh, particularly for a former high-level Pakistani politician. In jail, they usually live in relative comfort. Khan is reportedly held in solitary confinement in a small cell meant for terrorists in a Rawalpindi prison. And he has been denied visits from family members and political allies in breach of his legal rights…The timing of Khan’s removal from the political scene and the arrival of Field Marshal Munir dovetailed with the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. While Trump appeared to like Khan in his first term, two issues eventually dampened that enthusiasm: Khan’s consistent accusation that the State Department had pressed for his removal from power in 2022; and his welcome of the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 as “breaking the shackles of slavery”. In contrast, Pakistan’s military knew it still needed a solid working relationship with the US, despite Islamabad’s long-standing and close strategic relationship with China and the United States’ increasingly important military relationship with India. Following Khan’s ouster, the military worked hard to rebuild the bilateral relationship with Washington. The critical turning point in the rejuvenation of the relationship was Pakistan’s decision to hand over to the Americans recently captured Mohammad Sharifullah, a commander of Islamic State in Khorasan Province and mastermind of the terrorist attack on Kabul airport during the evacuation of Western forces in August 2021 which killed 13 military personnel. This was widely appreciated in Washington. President Trump personally thanked the Pakistan government in his first State of the Union Address in March.”