NEW DELHI: The US Senate has advanced a long-awaited bipartisan bill that would tighten sanctions on Russia and expand penalties against Iran, marking a significant step toward passing legislation backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

The measure, which has the support of US President Donald Trump, cleared a key procedural hurdle with an **86-12 vote**, comfortably surpassing the 60-vote threshold required to move forward. The bill received overwhelming backing from Republicans and support from a majority of Democrats.

If enacted, the legislation would authorize President Trump to impose tariffs on the world's five largest purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas, including **India and China**, as part of efforts to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its continued actions in Ukraine.

The Senate's action came just hours after lawmakers paid tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly earlier this month. Graham had been one of the Senate's strongest advocates for tougher sanctions against Russia and was a vocal critic of Russian aggression.

The vote also coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Capitol Hill, where he met senators while attending memorial events honoring Graham. Zelensky's visit underscored the continued bipartisan support in Washington for Ukraine and renewed efforts to strengthen pressure on Russia through economic measures.