The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four people and two companies for providing “critical support” to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ unmanned aerial vehicle programs, the agency said Oct. 29. The designations target Iran-based Kimia Part Sivan Co. (KIPAS) and Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Co. (Mado) for helping to bolster Iran’s UAV capabilities. OFAC also sanctioned Mohammad Ebrahim Zargar Tehrani, who helps KIPAS source its components from foreign companies; Yousef Aboutalebi, managing director for Mado; IRGC Brig. Gen. Abdollah Mehrabi, who is chairman of Mado; and IRGC Brig. Gen. Saeed Aghajani, who oversees the IRGC’s aerospace and UAV operations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 28 sanctioned two Lebanese businessmen and a member of Lebanon's parliament whose actions have “contributed to the breakdown of good governance and the rule of law” in the country. The sanctions target businessmen Jihad al-Arab and Dany Khoury as well as lawmaker Jamil Sayyed.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control released the texts of six previously issued Ukraine-related General Licenses. The licenses are GLs 16, 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E. The licenses authorized certain transactions with Russian companies EN+ Group PLC and JSC EuroSibEnergo. The first five have expired, the sixth was revoked. The U.S. removed sanctions from both companies in 2019 (see 1905150064).
President Joe Biden extended a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions against people and entities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the White House said Oct. 25. The country is “marked by widespread violence and atrocities that continue to threaten regional stability.” The emergency was extended for one year beyond Oct. 27.
The United Nations Security Council, the U.S. and the United Kingdom this week added a new entry under their Libya sanctions regimes. All three sanctioned Osama Al Kuni Ibrahim, who they said has committed human rights violations as the manager of the Al Nasr Detention Center in Zawiyah.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published in the Federal Register the texts of nine previously issued Venezuela-related General Licenses, including one that is still active. The licenses are Venezuela GLs 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H. GL 8H (see 2106020003), which expires Dec. 1, authorizes certain transactions between Venezuela's state-owned energy company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) and Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 22 updated a Mexico-related entry on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The agency updated the entry for Jaime Humberto Gonzalez Higuera, who was sanctioned in September (see 2109220032) for having ties to a Mexican drug cartel.
The State Department is reviewing whether to continue to designate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a foreign terrorist organization, the agency said in a notice. It is accepting written statements or “other documentary materials” on the group’s FTO status, which must be submitted by Nov. 2. The Sri Lanka-based Liberation Tigers were designated in 1997. The FTO designation imposes certain sanctions on the group.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published in the Federal Register the texts of four previously issued Venezuela-related General Licenses. GLs 7, 7A, 7B, and 7C outline authorizations for certain transactions with PDV Holding and Citgo Holding for 18-month periods (see 2110010034).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control released a guidance aimed to help the "virtual currency industry navigate and comply with OFAC sanctions," it said Oct. 15. The guide includes a set of frequently asked questions and case studies about virtual currencies and sanctions.