The U.S. this week sanctioned firms and people involved in making drones and transferring them from Iran to Russia, including an Iranian producer and two United Arab Emirates entities. The designations come less than a month after the U.S. said it was considering additional sanctions on both Russia and Iran following Iranian sales and operation of drones in Ukraine (see 2210210046).
The Treasury Department wants to modernize its licensing approach to more easily allow humanitarian groups to send aid to sanctioned jurisdictions, said Alex Parets, counselor to Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Parets, speaking during a Nov. 14 event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the administration is prioritizing work to improve its exemption process for humanitarian organizations and banks working with them.
A United Arab Emirates company violated U.S. export controls by shipping or trying to ship more than $50,000 worth of U.S.-origin telecommunications items to Syria and Iran, the Bureau of Industry and Security said in a charging letter released last week. The company, WEBS Electronics Trading Company, and its owner, Mohammad Alhamra, also lied to a BIS agent when it said it didn’t export to Syria.
The Biden administration should “make full use” of its sanctions and export control authorities against Iran for transferring weapons and other military items to Russia, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a Nov. 1 letter to the White House. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said Iran has sent hundreds of “lethal Mohajer-6 and Shahed-136 drones, as well as related technology and military advisors” to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, and is reportedly preparing to provide “Fateh-100 and Zolfaghar” ballistic missiles.
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The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 27 released quarterly reports on certain licensing activities for Iran and Sudan, covering the period from April 2019 through September 2021. The reports provide licensing statistics for exports of agricultural goods, medicine and medical devices to both countries as required by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week updated an Iran-related general license and guidance to expand the types of internet and communications services and exports that can be provided to Iran. Updated General License D2 “dramatically increases” U.S. support for internet freedom in Iran, a State Department official said, adding that the announcement brings U.S. sanctions guidance "in line with changes in modern technology.”
The Senate should move forward with bipartisan legislation that would give the administration stronger authorities to penalize and investigate sanctioned Russian oligarchs and tackle broader sanctions evasion issues (see 2207200020), senators said during a hearing this week. But Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said Congress shouldn’t be too quick to expand some of the Biden administration’s proposals, which could expand DOJ authorities unrelated to Russia.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week updated its restricted aircraft list by adding three Iranian-owned and operated planes for violating U.S. export controls after they provided flight services to Russia. The planes -- owned by Mahan Air, Qeshm Fars Air and Iran Air -- are the first Iranian aircraft added to the list and are now subject to certain maintenance and repair restrictions and other prohibitions outlined in General Prohibition 10 of the Export Administration Regulations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated an air transport service provider for its involvement in the shipment of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles to Russia, according to a Sept. 8 press release. Additionally, OFAC is designating three companies and one individual involved in the research, development, production and procurement of Iranian UAV components.