Five people from Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates were charged in two cases at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for violating the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, DOJ announced. They allegedly tried to obtain and export U.S. technology to Iran from 2005 to 2013.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned four entities and three people in Iran and Turkey for procuring equipment for Iran’s drone and weapons programs. The designations target Farazan Industrial Engineering, a company that has tried to buy tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of European turbine engines for Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles, and its managing director Amanallah Paidar. Also sanctioned were Iran’s Defense Technology and Science Research Center; Murat Bukey, a procurement agent; Ozone Havacilik Ve Savunma Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, which facilitates Bukey’s business with Iran; Asghar Mahmoudi, who has provided marine electronics to Iran; and Selin Technic, used as a front company by Mahmoudi.

A Black Sea grain export deal, allowing continued safe passage of certain Ukrainian agricultural exports amid the country’s war with Russia, has been extended (see 2207250004). Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted March 18 that the U.N., Turkey and others worked with Russia to extend the deal for another 120 days, although Russia’s foreign ministry said it agreed to a 60-day extension, the Associated Press reported.

Turkey this month lifted the remaining export bans it had placed on agricultural products last year to counter “skyrocketing food inflation” (see 2202020032), USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a March 14 report. The country lifted restrictions on red meat, certain pulses, sunflower oil and tomatoes, USDA said, noting the ban on tomatoes had “triggered a backlash” within Turkey's tomato industry, which “depends on exports for its survival.” Turkey has gradually lifted its food export restrictions over the past year (see 2203170012 and 2207210009).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week announced a host of new Iran-related sanctions, including new designations against a “shadow banking” network aiding Iranian entities and new sanctions against a network of Chinese companies with ties to the country's unmanned drone industry. The designations target 39 entities illegally allowing Iranian companies to access the international financial system and a network of five companies supporting Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle procurement efforts.

U.S. enforcement agencies this week issued their first joint “compliance note” to warn industry about common Russian sanctions evasion efforts. The note -- from the Commerce, Treasury and Justice departments -- outlines methods Russia uses to circumvent trade restrictions, including through intermediaries or transshipment points, and describes a range of red flags businesses should monitor.

The Bureau of Industry and Security will expedite export license applications for items related to humanitarian and earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, BIS announced Feb. 17. Although most aid-related items don’t require a license under the Export Administration Regulations, BIS said it will fast-track any items that do, including heavy equipment, telecommunications hardware and software, portable generators, medical devices, water purification equipment, sanitation equipment and shelter materials.

Russian customs data shows the country’s sanctioned defense companies are buying navigation equipment, jamming technology, jet-fighter parts and more from China, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 4. Russia has imported tens of thousands of shipments of dual-use goods since its invasion of Ukraine last year, most of them from China, the report said. Although the U.S. and other Western nations have imposed strict export controls on technology to stop sensitive items from being sent to Russia, Moscow is able to sustain its military needs through countries that haven’t joined the U.S.-led sanctions effort, the report said, including Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. But Chinese companies are the “dominant exporters” of dual-use items to Russia, the report said.

The Philippines recently extended a 5% tariff on certain imported chicken and turkey, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported this week. The tariff, now in place through Dec. 31, 2024, imposes the tariff on imports of “mechanically deboned or separated poultry,” USDA said.

World Trade Organization members on Jan. 27 appointed new chairs for the Negotiating Group on Rules and the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, the WTO announced. Iceland's Einar Gunnarsson will chair the rules group and Turkey's Alparslan Acarsoy the agriculture committee. Gunnarsson will head the "second wave" of fisheries subsidies talks following the fisheries agreement at the 12th Ministerial Conference. Acarsoy will "steer the process to build momentum on agriculture negotiations," the WTO said.