The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned six people and two entities that it said are helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions and smuggle weapons or that have ties to corruption in Iraq.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned more than 50 people, entities and ships for helping move and sell Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas, earning the Iranian government "billions of dollars" for its support of terrorism, the agency said. The designations targeted nearly two dozen shadow fleet vessels and their owners, a China-based crude oil terminal, a Chinese refinery and others.
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The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Sept. 29 upheld the Office of Foreign Assets Control's addition of Iranian company Bahman Group to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list. Judge Randolph Moss held that OFAC's denial of Bahman's delisting petition wasn't impermissibly predetermined, finding that even if OFAC's decision could be set aside under the Administrative Procedure Act for being pre-decided, "the record offers no basis for concluding that OFAC’s decision-making in this case was pretextual or irredeemably biased under any standard" (Bahman Group v. Lisa Palluconi, D.D.C. # 22-3826).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 6 removed Horacio Manuel Cartes, former president of Paraguay, from its Specially Designated Nationals List. OFAC also removed five entities that had been sanctioned for supporting Cartes or for ties to the former president, including Tabacalera del Este, Tabesa, Frigorifico Chajha, Dominicana Acquisition, Bebidas and Tabacos. The agency didn't release more information.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned eight Mexicans and 12 Mexico-based companies that it said have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel’s Los Chapitos faction, a group designated in June for helping to traffic fentanyl to the U.S. (see 2506090023).
Brian Nelson, one of the Treasury Department's top sanctions officials during the administration of Joe Biden, has joined Cooley to lead its national security practice, the law firm announced last week. Nelson previously served as Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, where he oversaw the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Nelson will work on issues related to sanctions, export controls, national security investigations and more, the firm said.
Exporters shouldn't expect a grace period from enforcement under the Bureau of Industry and Security's new 50% rule, but the agency likely is first looking for intentional violators as opposed to exporters who made good-faith efforts to comply, industry lawyers and advisers said in interviews.
The U.S. ambassador to NATO suggested this week that the Trump administration won’t sign off on any new Russia sanctions until all EU and NATO members stop buying Russian energy.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned nearly 40 people and entities with ties to networks helping to buy sensitive goods and technology for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, along with its missile and military aircraft production efforts.