An Iranian national and U.S. resident was arrested for allegedly exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, DOJ announced last week. Bahram Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiring to violate the IEEPA and three counts of violating the IEEPA, facing a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for each count.
The U.N. Security Council isn’t yet ready to follow the U.S. in removing a broad range of sanctions against Syria, said Thomas Barrack, the Trump administration’s special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey.
The Bureau of Industry and Security’s latest export control enforcement action against a semiconductor firm shows the agency may be preparing to target companies that flout its high probability standard, a trade lawyer and industry consultant said.
The House Appropriations Committee released an FY 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill July 14 that would provide $303 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security, up $112 million or 59% from the FY 2025 enacted level.
All shipments of U.S.-origin advanced AI semiconductors will require an export license from the Malaysian government when moving through Malaysia, the country announced July 14, a move that further aligns Malaysia with U.S. efforts to prevent the diversion of sensitive chips to China.
The Energy Department is delaying the effective date of a direct final rule that will amend the regulations for administrative procedures related to the import and export of natural gas (see 2505120045).
The leaders of the House Select Committee on China urged the State Department to consider sanctioning Hong Kong Police Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming for his role in the Chinese territory's crackdown on pro-democracy activists.
The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Defense Department to create a “data czar” to collect, track and disseminate information about its Foreign Military Sales program, according to a newly released summary of the panel’s FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
The State Department is adding properties to its Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List and Cuban military-controlled hotels to its Cuba Restricted List. The Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List identifies entities subject to restrictions on lodging-related transactions under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, while U.S. people are generally blocked from participating in "direct financial transactions" with the entities and subentities on the Cuba Restricted List. The additions took effect July 14.
Finnish customs authorities are investigating a Helsinki-based forwarding company for a yearslong alleged scheme to violate sanctions by illegally delivering about 300,000 euros', or about $350,000, worth of goods to Russia.