The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 15 issued two determinations to restrict certain quantum computing-related activities with Russia. One directive, effective immediately, imposes sanctions on Russia's quantum computing sector. The second directive, which will take effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Oct. 15, will prohibit the exportation, reexportation, sale or supply of quantum computing services to Russia. The prohibitions aim to "further degrade Russia’s ability to reconstitute its military with advanced technology," OFAC said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 individuals and two entities for their roles in conducting malicious cyber acts, it said in a Sept. 14 notice. The designations are part of a joint action with the State Department, DOJ, FBI, U.S. Cyber Command, NSA, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The designated individuals and entities are affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). OFAC said the action "continues the series of designations that aim to protect U.S. persons from ransomware activity, facilitators of ransomware activity, and other cybercrime."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 13 updated a narcotics-related entity on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The agency updated information for Hassein Eduardo Figueroa Gomez, first sanctioned in 2012 (see 12041305) for ties to a Mexican drug cartel.
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The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued preliminary guidance on the price cap for seaborne Russian oil and related maritime services policy. The G7 confirmed its joint intention for the cap at the Sept. 2 meeting of finance ministers (see 2209020034).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib for engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the U.S. and its allies, the Treasury Department said in a Sept. 9 news release. OFAC has added Khatib and MOIS to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.
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.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 8 extended a Russia-related general license that authorizes the payment of certain taxes and import fees to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation or the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation despite the sanctions imposed on those entities. General License 13B, which replaces GL 13A (see 2205250054), extends the authorization through 12:01 a.m. EST on Dec. 7, 2022. The 13A license was scheduled to expire Sept. 30.
Twenty-seven House Republicans, led by Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, asked CBP to defend its implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, in light of a recent report from the Uyghur Human Rights Project (see 2209060033). They asked if any red jujube dates from Xinjiang have entered the U.S. since June 21, and if so, how many shipments have done so.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is reissuing its Cyber-Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 578, the office said in a Sept. 2 notice. The update replaces regulations published in abbreviated form on Dec. 31, 2015, "with a more comprehensive set of regulations that includes additional interpretive and definitional guidance, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions that will provide further guidance to the public." The regulations will become effective Sept. 6, the date they are set to be published in the Federal Register.