Former President Donald Trump is projected to win reelection and Republicans took back control of the Senate, setting up a possible repeat of the first Trump-led government that frequently used export controls to counter China and didn’t hesitate to levy threats at traditional U.S. trading partners.
An indictment was unsealed on Oct. 22 charging Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps brigadier general Ruhollah Bazghandi and members of his network with sanctions evasion, among other charges, in their efforts to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York City, DOJ announced.
House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, urged the Biden administration Oct. 18 to give the Treasury and State departments additional resources, including personnel, to speed up implementation of the new sanctions authorities that were enacted into law almost six months ago.
The U.K. on Oct. 15 added nine entries to its Iran sanctions regime and seven entries to its global human rights sanctions regime.
The Council of the European Union on Oct. 14 added seven people and seven entities to its Iran sanctions list as a response to Iran's recent transfer of missiles and drones to Russia (see 2409160005). The additions include three Iranian airlines and two procurement companies that transfer and supply the drones and missiles through "transnational procurement networks" to be used in the war in Ukraine. Two propellant manufacturers were also sanctioned. The individuals include the deputy defense minister of Iran, various Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps officials and the managing directors of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries and Aerospace Industries Organization.
A bipartisan group of seven senators led by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., urged the Biden administration last week to speed up implementation of new Iran sanctions laws, including a measure aimed at curbing the country’s oil revenue.
A dual U.S. and Iranian citizen on Oct. 7 was arrested for allegedly violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by sending digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran, DOJ announced. Kambiz Eghbali, a Los Angeles resident, was charged alongside Iranian nationals Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad for the scheme, which also included charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and commit money laundering.
The Group of 7 nations, including the U.S., are considering new sanctions against Iran in response to the country’s missile attacks against Israel this week, the White House said in a statement. A State Department spokesperson declined to say what type of sanctions the countries may take, but added that the U.S. “can always look to identify new ways to impose sanctions on Iran or to increase enforcement of our existing sanctions,” and “those are the measures that we’re looking at right now.”
A bipartisan group of six House members urged the Biden administration last week to step up enforcement of oil sanctions against Iran to reduce Tehran’s ability to fund terrorism.
Four Republican lawmakers urged the Biden administration Sept. 19 to carry out two new Iran sanctions laws, both of which have deadlines that already passed.