The European Council today adopted restrictive measures targeting the Belarusian economy, extending the export ban on dual-use/advanced goods and technologies, the measures include maritime navigation goods and technologies, and luxury goods. Also controlled are services exports, transport, and select imports from the Russian vassal state. The regulation requires that EU exporters insert in their future contract the so-called 'no-Belarus clause', through which they contractually prohibit the re-exportation to Belarus or re-exportation for use in Belarus of sensitive goods and technology, battlefield goods, firearms and ammunition.
In response to continued development of Tehran's nuclear capabilities, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced additional measures against Iranian petrochemical transport and trade. "Over the past month, Iran has announced steps to further expand its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose," said Mr. Blinken. "We remain committed to never letting Iran obtain a nuclear weapon, and we are prepared to use all elements of national power to ensure that outcome."
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Tuesday sanctioned nearly 50 entities and individuals that constitute multiple branches of a sprawling “shadow banking” network used by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) The entities, including cover companies based in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Marshall Islands have been used to gain illicit access to the international financial system and process the equivalent of billions of dollars since 2020.
The European Council adopted Monday a 14th package of economic and individual restrictive measures on Russia. The package includes restrictive measures on additional 116 individuals and entities , as well as sectoral measures on Energy, Third-Country Subsidiaries and other Anti-Circumvention measures, Financial Communications Systems and Defense Industrial Base, Political Activities, Port Access for specific vessels, dual-use and commodity trade controls, as well as legal protections for sanctions compliance and intellectual property.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating two individuals and five entities that have facilitated weapons procurement for Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis. OFAC is also designating one individual and one company, as well as identifying one vessel, that have facilitated the shipment of commodities, the sale of which provides an important funding stream to the Houthis that aids in their weapons procurement.
Just in case you're still depending on a Russian vendor for your cybersecurity, the Commerce Department has banned Kaspersky Labs from directly or indirectly providing anti-virus software and cybersecurity products or services in the United States or to U.S. persons. The Final Determination by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is the first of its kind and is the first Final Determination issued by BIS’s Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS).
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating a network of two individuals and seven entities that provide major sources of revenue for U.S.-designated Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik and his family. Dodik used his official position to direct RS government contracts to a network of private companies that he and Igor oversee. While Igor controls many of the companies in this network, he obfuscates his personal connection to the companies by relying on distinct nominal owners and directors.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning ten individuals, entities, and vessels, including tanker captains, in multiple jurisdictions that have engaged in the illicit transport of oil and other commodities, including for the network of Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. This action targets maritime shipping and financial facilitators, several vessel managers and owners, and a company involved in forging shipping documents.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned members of one of Guyana’s wealthiest families, Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, and a Guyanese government official, Mae Thomas , for their roles in public corruption in Guyana. Azruddin and Mohamed’s Enterprise evaded Guyana’s tax on gold exports and defrauded the Guyanese government of tax revenues by underdeclaring their gold exports to Guyanese authorities. Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10 thousand kilograms of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than $50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.
To support the Department's announcement of over 300 new sanctions Wednesday, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing Determinations, General Licenses and FAQs relating to trade with Russia and Belarus
In coordination with the Departments of Treasury and State, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is announcing several significant additional export control restrictions and related actions against Russia.. Among the actions is the issuance of a final rule imposing additional export control measures against Russia and Belarus by expanding the scope of items identified under two EAR supplements that are subject to the EAR’s Russian and Belarusian industry sector sanctions; imposing a “software” license requirement for certain EAR99-designated “software” when destined to or within Russia or Belarus; and narrowing the scope of commodities and software that may be authorized for export, reexport, or transfer (in- country) to or within Russia or Belarus under License Exception Consumer Communications Devices (CCD).
The Treasury and State Departments are issuing sweeping new measures guided by G7 commitments to intensify the pressure on Russia for its continued war against Ukraine. Wednesday's actions ratchet up the risk of secondary sanctions for foreign financial institutions that deal with Russia’s war economy; restrict the ability of Russian military-industrial base to take advantage of certain U.S. software and information technology (IT) services; and, together with the Department of State, target more than 300 individuals and entities.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is materially amending the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 542. In addition to new prohibitions, OFAC is adding several relevant definitions and interpretations and one new general license. OFAC is also incorporating, with amendments, one general license; updating six general licenses; and publishing a list of areas in which activities are authorized under General License 22.
The Department of State is publicly designating five current and former Ugandan officials for their involvement in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights. Included in the action are the Speaker of Parliament, Former Minister of Karamoja Affairs, former Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, and the Minister of State for Finance. Additionally, the former Deputy Chief of the Ugandan Peoples’ Defence Forces is designated due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two companies that are linked to the Private Military Company “Wagner” (Wagner Group). Mining Industries SARLU and Logistique Economique Etrangere SARLU are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 for enabling Wagner Group security operations and Wagner Group-linked illicit mining endeavors in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The US Treasury is targeting four entities associated with OFAC-designated Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) that have procured critical parts for Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. Additionally, OFAC is targeting an Iranian executive of Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), a subsidiary of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics that oversees UAV manufacturers Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company and Qods Aviation Industries.
Twelve GOP lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen calling on the Office of Foreign Assets Control and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to investigate six People's Republic of China (PRC) companies, including two of the largest oil companies in the PRC. .The apparent intent is to discourage US investors from owning shares in the firms, several of which are included in East Asian Stock Indexes.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (the “Regulations”) to further implement elements of the policy announced by the Administration on May 16, 2022, Cuban entrepreneurs' access to internet-based services and banking facilities are improved, while the restrictions on transactions with state-owned entities remain fully in force.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are urging President Biden to act on a new law allowing him to seize frozen Russian assets and give them to Ukraine for reconstruction ahead of the G7 finance ministers’ meeting. The lawmakers asked for a briefing by June 1 on the progress of talks being led by the National Security Council to encourage G7 and European Union partners to find creative mechanisms for using Russian sovereign funds frozen in their respective jurisdictions.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen convened with German bankers on Tuesday. The roundtable discussion focused on global macroeconomic trends, the risks to financial security, and the impact of multilateral sanctions against Russia. She asked bankers to be more proactive in their adherence to sanctions restrictions, and to impress the same upon their affiliates and correspondents. In remarks to the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management the day prior, Yellen defended the Boden Administrations efforts to rebuild the transatlantic alliance. "Put simply, the transatlantic alliance has delivered for Americans, Europeans, and many others. And the United States has been committed to advancing it—through multilateralism, most notably through the G7, NATO, and U.S. relations with the EU—and through bilateral relationships between the U.S. and European countries, including, of course, with Germany.
