Sixteen African countries urged the lifting of all international sanctions against Zimbabwe, saying it is suffering from a range of “socio-economic challenges” caused by the restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanctions should be “unconditionally lifted for Zimbabwe to improve the livelihoods of her citizens, and develop unhindered,” Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, president of Mozambique and the chair of the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, said in an Oct. 24 news release. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control did not comment.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 26 updated 10 frequently asked questions and published one new FAQ to provide guidance on its most recent update to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (see 2010230024). OFAC’s new FAQ outlines which general licenses the change affects and clarifies how the restrictions apply to entities on the State Department’s Cuba Restricted List. The agency also clarified that effective Nov. 26, people subject to U.S. jurisdiction will no longer be able to process remittances to or from Cuba “through [Financiera Cimex, called] FINCIMEX or any other entity or subentity on the [Cuba Restricted List].”

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned eight people, 11 entities and two vessels for operating in Iran’s oil sector and supporting the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, OFAC said Oct. 26. OFAC also issued an updated Iran-related general license and amended six frequently asked questions.

The European Union sanctioned two people and one entity for a 2015 cyberattack against the German Federal Parliament, the E Council said Oct. 22. The designations target Russian intelligence officers Dmitry Sergeyevich Badin, Igor Olegovich Kostyukov and the “85th Main Centre for Special Services of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” The United Kingdom applauded the move and will join the EU in enforcing the sanctions, it said Oct. 22.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a Russian government research institution behind “destructive malware” that targets industrial safety systems, OFAC said Oct. 23. The designation targeted the State Research Center of the Russian Federation FGUP Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics, which was responsible for building tools that led to a Triton malware attack, OFAC said. The institution was sanctioned under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations to further deny the Cuban government’s access to remittance-related funds, OFAC said in a final rule released Oct. 23. The rule amends the scope of certain general licenses to remove “remittance-related general authorizations” involving entities on the Cuba Restricted List, OFAC said. The change will limit those agencies’ access to remittances, “including in their role as intermediaries or in their receipt of fees or commissions from processing remittance transactions.” The rule will take effect Nov. 27. The changes follow a set of new Cuba sanctions and restrictions announced by OFAC in September that created the Cuba Restricted List, placing restrictions on lodging, research and other activities (see 2009230029).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a range of sanctions Oct. 22, designating Hizballah officials, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq and various Iranian entities for interfering in U.S. elections.

The United Kingdom Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation revised entries for two people and three entities under its sanctions regime for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, OFSI said in an Oct. 20 notice. The notices revised identifying information for two former military officials in the region, a terrorist organization and two gold export companies.

The European Union renewed its sanctions regime against ISIL/Da'esh and al-Qaida for another year, until Oct. 31, 2021, the EU said Oct. 19. The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes. The extension was made due to the “ongoing terrorist threat.”

Canada sanctioned 31 Belarusian officials for their involvement in the country’s illegitimate presidential elections, Canada said in an October notice. Canada sanctioned 11 Belarusian officials last month (see 2009300011) but added more to bring its sanctions regime in line with the European Union, which targeted 40 Belarusian officials (see 2010050010).