{"id":73209,"date":"2026-10-18T18:08:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T22:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-defends-russia-sanctions-waiver-to-protect-peace-talks-iran-warns-of-unfinished-jobs\/73209\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T18:08:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T22:08:16","slug":"trump-defends-russia-sanctions-waiver-to-protect-peace-talks-iran-warns-of-unfinished-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-defends-russia-sanctions-waiver-to-protect-peace-talks-iran-warns-of-unfinished-jobs\/73209\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Defends Russia Sanctions Waiver to Protect Peace Talks; Iran Warns of &#8216;Unfinished Jobs&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Trump waived sweeping new sanctions<\/strong> on Russia, including <strong>100% tariffs<\/strong> on energy purchasers, arguing the move is essential to keep Moscow at the negotiating table for a peace deal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/strong> issued a sharp warning to the U.S., claiming Tehran has <strong>&quot;unfinished jobs&quot;<\/strong> and accusing Israel of pushing Washington toward a new conflict.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ukraine reported a three-day blackout<\/strong> of critical U.S. intelligence regarding Russian ballistic missile launches, though President Zelenskyy confirmed sharing has now resumed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New Zealand\u2019s trade deficit widened to NZ$1.97 billion<\/strong> in September as exports fell <strong>2.9% month-on-month<\/strong>, while the services sector showed marginal growth with a <strong>PSI of 50.9<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Trump Prioritizes Diplomacy Over Sanctions<\/h2>\n<p>President Donald Trump defended his decision to hold off on a bipartisan sanctions package against Russia, stating on Sunday that the move is intended to keep <strong>&quot;Moscow negotiating for peace.&quot;<\/strong> The sanctions, part of the <strong>Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026<\/strong>, were scheduled to take effect on October 18 but were waived by executive order. Trump argued that imposing the measures now would <strong>&quot;foolishly&quot;<\/strong> drive Russia away from the bargaining table.<\/p>\n<p>The President also defended a controversial <strong>diesel deal<\/strong> with the Kremlin, suggesting it helps stabilize global energy markets. Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for targeting Russian refineries, claiming these strikes <strong>&quot;seriously hurt&quot;<\/strong> world diesel markets and impact American consumers. Despite the diplomatic overtures, Russia continued its aerial campaign, with Ukraine reporting ballistic missile strikes on heating plants in Kyiv.<\/p>\n<h2>Iran Responds to &quot;Finish the Job&quot; Rhetoric<\/h2>\n<p>Tensions in the Middle East escalated as Iranian Foreign Minister <strong>Abbas Araghchi<\/strong> responded to President Trump\u2019s earlier warning that the U.S. could <strong>&quot;soon finish the job&quot;<\/strong> against Tehran. In a post on X, Araghchi warned that Iran emerged stronger from previous confrontations and cautioned, <strong>\u201cWe have unfinished jobs too.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Araghchi further accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of manipulating U.S. foreign policy to serve his own political interests and avoid imprisonment. This rhetorical escalation comes as Netanyahu vowed to <strong>&quot;bring down&quot;<\/strong> the Islamic Republic, signaling a potential for renewed military action in the region regardless of Washington&#39;s direct involvement.<\/p>\n<h2>Intelligence Sharing and Satellite Throttling in Ukraine<\/h2>\n<p>President Zelenskyy confirmed in an interview with <em>NBC<\/em> that the U.S. has <strong>resumed sharing unique intelligence<\/strong> on Russian ballistic missile launches after a critical three-day suspension. The lapse in data left Ukrainian cities vulnerable to strikes that occurred without early warning. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the restoration but noted that <strong>Starshield<\/strong> satellite speeds remain restricted, which he characterized as a <strong>&quot;message&quot;<\/strong> from the American government.<\/p>\n<h2>New Zealand Economic Data: Trade Deficit Widens<\/h2>\n<p>In the South Pacific, <strong>Statistics New Zealand<\/strong> reported that the nation&#39;s trade deficit widened significantly to <strong>NZ$1.97 billion<\/strong> in September 2026. Monthly exports dropped to <strong>NZ$6.47 billion<\/strong>, a <strong>2.9%<\/strong> decline from August, while imports rose to <strong>NZ$8.44 billion<\/strong>. The 12-month year-to-date trade balance now stands at a deficit of <strong>NZ$6.18 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Performance of Services Index (PSI)<\/strong> for September came in at <strong>50.9<\/strong>, a slight decrease from August\u2019s <strong>51.2<\/strong>. While the index remains in expansionary territory for the fourth consecutive month, the growth is described as <em>fragile<\/em>. Business confidence continues to be weighed down by elevated fuel prices, high interest rates, and uncertainty surrounding the upcoming general election.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump waived sweeping new sanctions on Russia, including 100% tariffs on energy purchasers, arguing the move is 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