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OFAC sanctions entities supporting the sale of Iranian petrochemicals
On December 16, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13846 against four entities for facilitating the export of Iranian petrochemical products on behalf of a previously designated petrochemical company. According to OFAC, the designated entities—China- and United Arab Emirates-based companies—have allegedly provided the previously designated company “with critical shipping services or conducted financial transactions on” its behalf, which has enabled the previously designated company to “continue brokering and moving Iranian petrochemical exports.” As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and any “entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by such persons, are also blocked.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons. OFAC further warned foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitating significant transactions or providing significant support to the designated persons may subject them to sanctions and could sever their access to the U.S. financial system.
OFAC releases new Non-SDN sanctions reference tool
On December 14, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published a new reference tool, the Non-SDN Menu Based Sanctions List (NS-MBS List), which “identities persons subject to certain non-blocking menu-based sanctions that have been imposed under statutory or other authorities, including certain sanctions described in Section 235 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), as implemented by Executive Order 13849, and the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, as amended by CAATSA.” OFAC noted that the NS-MBS List is distinct from its List of Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Correspondent Account or Payable-Through Account Sanctions, which identifies foreign financial institutions subject to correspondent or payable-through account sanctions.
OFAC announces Hong Kong-related designations
On December 7, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added 14 Chinese citizens to the Specially Designated Nationals List. The individuals were designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13936, which was issued by President Trump in July and, among other things, targets and authorizes the imposition of sanctions on persons who materially assist, sponsor, or provide financial, material, or technological support to activities contributing to the undermining of Hong Kong’s democracy and autonomy. Additionally, E.O. 13936 states that “[a]ll property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person, . . .are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in” with any foreign person identified to have engaged in the aforementioned activities.
OFAC sanctions entities connected to IRGC-QF
On December 8, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 against an official in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), along with the Iranian regime’s envoy to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, for allegedly “acting for or on behalf of the IRGC-QF.” OFAC also announced sanctions against an Iranian university and a separate individual for providing support to IRGC-QF operations. As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and any “entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by such persons, are also blocked.” U.S. persons are “generally prohibited from engaging in transactions” with the designated persons. OFAC further warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for the designated persons they “risk exposure to sanctions that could sever their access to the U.S. financial system or block their property and interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction.”
OFAC sanctions entities for assisting North Korean coal exportation
On December 8, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Orders 13687, 13722, and 13810 against six entities related to the alleged transportation of North Korean coal. OFAC also identified four vessels as blocked property. According to OFAC, by engaging in activities prohibited under UN Security Council resolution 2371, the six sanctioned entities have assisted North Korea’s continued efforts to circumvent UN prohibitions on the exportation of North Korean coal. As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated individuals or entities, they may be subject to U.S. secondary sanctions. OFAC also recommended all relevant jurisdictions review a global advisory issued last May by the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury, along with the U.S. Coast Guard (covered by InfoBytes here), which warned the maritime industry of deceptive shipping practices used by Iran, North Korea, and Syria to evade economic sanctions.
OFAC sanctions supporter of Iranian chemical weapons research
On December 3, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against a subordinate to the Iranian Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research and its director for its involvement in Iran’s chemical weapons research. The government made the sanctions designations pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which aims to freeze the assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction along with their supporters. As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to, or owned by, the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are also generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. OFAC further warned foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitating significant transactions or providing significant support to the designated persons may subject them to U.S. sanctions.
Additionally, OFAC updated and issued several Iran-related FAQs.
OFAC sanctions Chinese tech company for supporting Maduro regime
On November 30, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against a Chinese technology company for allegedly “having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions.” The sanctions, issued pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, reflect Treasury’s continued efforts to hold persons who offer support to the Maduro regime accountable. As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by the designated individuals, are also blocked.” U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
Concurrently, OFAC issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 38 and a related frequently asked question. GL 38 authorizes the wind down of transactions and activities involving the sanctioned company or any entity owned—directly or indirectly at a 50 percent or greater interest—through January 14, 2021, which would otherwise be prohibited by E.O. 13692. According to OFAC, GL 38 does not authorize (i) any debit to the sanctioned entity’s accounts on a U.S. financial institution’s books; or (ii) any transactions otherwise prohibited by the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations.
OFAC sanctions entities for assisting North Korean regime
On November 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13722 against two entities allegedly involved in the exportation of forced labor from North Korea. According to OFAC, the sanctioned entities—a Russian construction company and a North Korean company—have “engaged in, facilitated, or been responsible for the exportation of forced labor from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the Government of North Korea or Workers’ Party of Korea.” In addition, OFAC updated the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List to provide additional information on three previously designated companies responsible for sending North Korean workers to Russia and China. As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated individuals or entities, they may be subject to U.S. secondary sanctions.
OFAC sanctions network for financially contributing to the Supreme Leader of Iran
On November 18, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions against “a key patronage network for the Supreme Leader of Iran” (Foundation)—a conglomerate of roughly 160 holdings in key sectors of Iran’s economy, including finance, energy, construction, and mining—along with Iran’s Minister of Intelligence and Security. The Foundation is being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13876, which also targets the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s Office (SLO), as well as their affiliates. According to OFAC, the Foundation, among other things, allegedly transferred large amounts of money to the SLO and made financial contributions to candidates for Iran’s presidential election. The Foundation also allegedly “maintains control of its economic empire through a network of holding companies touching nearly every sector of the Iranian economy.” Seven of these companies have also been designated, “along with dozens of their owned-or-controlled subordinate entities, as well as a number of “independent” Foundation owned-or-controlled subsidiaries and their owned-or-controlled subordinate companies.” The Iranian Minister of Intelligence and Security is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13553 for “having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the [Ministry of Intelligence and Security],” which plays “a key role in the Iranian regime’s brutal human rights abuses against the Iranian people.”
As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to, or owned by, the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are also generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. OFAC further warned foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitating significant transactions or providing significant support to the designated persons may subject them to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.
OFAC issues amended Venezuela-related general license
On November 17, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela General License (GL) 8G, “Authorizing Transactions Involving Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) Necessary for the Limited Maintenance of Essential Operations in Venezuela or the Wind Down of Operations in Venezuela for Certain Entities.” GL 8G supersedes GL 8F and extends the expiration date for certain authorizations through June 3, 2021 that would otherwise be prohibited under Executive Orders 13850, 13857, or 13884.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage of actions related to Venezuela.