On September 27, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two new General Licenses for Syria. General License No. 11 authorizes the export or reexport of certain services in support of nongovernmental organizations' non-profit activities, provided they do not benefit certain blocked persons. General License No. 12 authorizes third-country diplomatic and consular funds transfers provided the transfer is not to certain blocked persons.
On September 23, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License No. 8A to replace and supersede General License No. 8 (dated September 19, 2011). GL No. 8A authorizes all transactions involving the Government of Libya, its agencies, instrumentalities, and controlled entities, and the Central Bank of Libya, provided that certain requirements are met.
The State Department has designated two Pakistan-based Lashkar-e Tayyiba leaders and founding members, Zafar Iqbal and Hafiz Abdul Salam Bhuttavi, as Specially Designated Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224. OFAC listing of these individuals as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) available here.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is removing the Cuban Vessel REDESTOS (H2SA) from the Specially Designated Nationals list, effective September 21, 2011. The vessel's property and interests in property are no longer blocked pursuant to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR part 515).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is removing Bruno Buhler (Switzerland) from its Specially Designated Nationals list. OFAC has determined that the individual, whose property and interests in property were blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13315, as amended, is removed from the list effective September 21, 2011.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of 2 entities and 18 individuals that are removed from the Specially Designated Nationals list and whose property and interests in property have been unblocked pursuant to Executive Order 12978, effective September 21, 2011.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control states that it received a total of 372 applications requesting authorization to export agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Iran and Sudan under the one-year specific licensing regime of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 (October - December 2010). See notice for further statistics.
On September 21, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control made several changes to its "Specially Designated Nationals" List. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of five Mexican entities and four Mexican individuals whose property and interests in property have been blocked pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, effective September 15, 2011. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transaction or dealing in property or interests in property of foreign persons designated under the Kingpin Act and from engaging in any transaction that evades or avoids the prohibitions of the Kingpin Act. These prohibitions affect trade transactions as well as accounts, securities, and other assets.
On September 19, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License No. 7A and General License No. 8 pursuant to the Libyan Sanctions Regulations and Executive Order 13566 of February 25, 2011, "Blocking Property and Prohibiting Certain Transactions Related to Libya."