Iran is buying Georgia, and Trump is about to sanction the wrong people

In December 2024, the Biden Treasury Department sanctioned Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and whose party has governed Georgia since 2012. He holds no public office. He was the prime minister for one year, more than a decade ago. He hasn’t needed an office since.

I wrote in these pages last month that Washington sanctioned him and then made sure the checks still cleared. What has happened since is worse, and it is going to land on people who had nothing to do with any of it.