The Treasury Department’s recent sanctioning of a Chinese oil refinery for buying and refining Iranian crude (see 2503200014) was a "great first step" but should be expanded to other refineries to ensure Tehran's energy revenue is significantly reduced, a researcher told a congressional panel April 1.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a bill April 1 to sanction Russia and its supporters if Moscow refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine in good faith or undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty after a peace deal is reached.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 2 released quarterly reports on certain licensing activities for Iran, covering the period from October 2024 through December 2024. The reports provide licensing statistics for exports of agricultural goods, medicine and medical devices as required by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.
The U.K. on April 2 added 12 people and one entity to its global anti-corruption sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added Russian non-profit Evrazia for its ties to sanctioned Israeli-born Russian oligarch Ilan Shor. The listed individuals include board members of Evrazia and members of the judiciary in Guatemala and Georgia.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 2 removed Russian national Karina Rotenberg, also known as Karina Gapchuk Fox, from its Specially Designated Nationals List. Rotenberg was sanctioned for allegedly helping her husband, Russian businessman Boris Rotenberg, evade sanctions, according to OpenSanctions.org. Boris Rotenberg was designated in 2014. OFAC didn’t release more information.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a network of people and companies connected to Sa’id al-Jamal, a sanctioned senior Houthi financial official backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. OFAC said the network has bought tens of millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia, including weapons and other sensitive goods, for the Houthis in Yemen. The agency also sanctioned eight digital asset wallets used by the Houthis to move money.
The Trump administration should reverse a planned $20 million funding cut for the Bureau of Industry and Security, which will hamper the agency’s ability to enforce export controls and weaken American technology competitiveness, a tech policy non-profit said this week.
Ken Wainstein, a former U.S. national security prosecutor and intelligence official, has joined Mayer Brown as a lawyer advising on export controls, sanctions, foreign direct investment and other national security enforcement issues. Wainstein was most recently the DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on March 31 renewed the temporary denial order for Russian air cargo carrier Aviastar for one year after finding it continues to violate U.S. export controls. The agency said the airline has continued to illegally operate aircraft subject to the Export Administration Regulations, including for flights within Russia and between Russia and India.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned six entities and two people in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China responsible for buying drone parts for Iran-based Qods Aviation Industries, the leading manufacturer for the country's drone program. DOJ also announced charges against people and one company involved in the network after saying they illegally sent controlled U.S. technology to Iran.