The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective December 7, 2010, amending the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (GTSR) and the Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (TSR) to expand the scope of authorizations in each of those programs for the provision of certain legal services.
On December 2, 2010, Brian Nilsson, Director, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control at the National Security Council, provided an update on the Administration’s export control reform efforts as part of the National Export Initiative (NEI).
In the International Trade Administration's December 2010 notice of initiation of five-year Sunset Reviews, it states that it is not initiating a review of the antidumping duty order on raw pistachios from Iran (A-507-502) as scheduled, pursuant to the ban on all imports from Iran.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of three newly-designated individuals in Pakistan whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13224, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism,” effective November 24, 2010. (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/29/10 news, 10112937 for previous BP summary of these designations.)
The Treasury Department has announced the designations of five corporate officers and 10 businesses affiliated with either the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) or Bank Mellat, two entities previously designated by Treasury for supporting Iran's weapons of mass destruction program and carrying military cargoes. Designated were Pearl Energy Company, its Director Ali Afzali, as well as Pearl Energy Services, SA.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective November 30, 2010, which amends the Belarus Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 548) to extend the authorization of U.S. persons to engage in otherwise prohibited transactions with two blocked entities, Lakokraska OAO and/or Polotsk Steklovolokno OAO, until May 31, 2011. In addition, OFAC is amending the BSR to make a technical correction to the authority citation.
The Treasury Department has designated three senior members and financiers of Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LET) in Pakistan as Specially Designated Global Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for acting for or on behalf of LET. Designated were Hafiz Abdur Rauf; Mian Abdullah; and Mohammad Naushad Alam Khan. As a result of this action, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with these individuals, and any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. The Office of Foreign Assets Control has also updated its Specially Designated Nationals list to include these designations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has released a periodic update of the list of authorized providers of air, travel and remittance forwarding services to Cuba.
The Treasury Department has designated Korea Daesong Bank and Korea Daesong General Trading Corporation pursuant to Executive Order 13551 for being owned or controlled by Office 39 of the Korean Workers' Party. Office 39 was named in the Annex to E.O. 13551, issued by President Obama on August 30, 2010, in response to the U.S. government's longstanding concerns regarding North Korea's involvement in a range of illicit activities. As a result of these designations, any assets of the designated entities that are within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen and U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities.
The Office of Foreign Assets Controls has released the following civil penalties and enforcement information for November 16, 2010: