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Economic Sanctions

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US Treasury designates Iranian cyber actors targeting U.S. Companies and government agencies

OFAC sanctioned two companies and four individuals involved in malicious cyber activity on behalf of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC). These actors targeted more than a dozen U.S. companies and government entities through cyber operations, including spear phishing and malware attacks…

US Treasury targets sanctions evaders supporting key Hizballah financial advisor

Five individuals, including two co-founders of CTEX Exchange and two of Moukalled’s sons, operate two companies in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that are being concurrently designated

EU Parliament condemns Iran’s attack on Israel: calls for de-escalation and further sanctions

Reiterates Parliament’s long-standing call to include Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the EU list of terrorist organisations, stressing that such a decision is long overdue due to malign Iranian activities. It similarly calls on the Council and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell to add Hezbollah in its entirety to the same list.

US Treasury targets West African hostage takers

Two leaders of al-Qa’ida-aligned terrorist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) sanctioned for hostage-taking of U.S. persons in West Africa.

US Treasury targets networks facilitating illicit trade and UAV transfers on behalf of Iranian military

Applied to over one dozen entities, individuals, and vessels that have played a central role in facilitating and financing the clandestine sale of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which itself is involved in supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Russia’s war in Ukraine

US Treasury designates entities involved in raising funds for violent extremists in the West Bank

The fundraising campaigns established by Mount Hebron Fund for Levi and by Shlom Asiraich for Chasdai generated the equivalent of $140,000 and $31,000, respectively

US Treasury targets Belarusian sanctions evasion networks and cogs in Russia’s war machine

The individuals and entities OFAC is targeting include six revenue-generating state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and one entity and five individuals involved in facilitating transactions for a U.S.-designated major Belarusian defense sector enterprise. OFAC is additionally targeting five entities and five individuals involved in a global arms network doing business with a U.S.-designated Belarusian defence firm.

Council of the EU provides final approval to introduce criminal offences and penalties for EU sanctions’ violation

Certain actions will now be considered criminal offences in all member states, for example helping to bypass a travel ban, trading in sanctioned goods or performing prohibited financial activities. Inciting, aiding and abetting these offences can also be penalised.

OFAC designates Russian companies supporting sanctions evasion through virtual asset services and technology procurement

OFAC sanctioned thirteen entities and two individuals for operating in the financial services and technology sectors of the Russian Federation economy including persons developing or offering services in virtual assets that enable the evasion of U.S. sanctions. Five entities were designated for being owned or controlled by OFAC-designated persons…

EU Commission updates 19 of its Russia sanctions FAQs on prohibited services

The key points include EU subsidiaries are prohibited from providing prohibited services to Russian parent companies, EU persons can still provide all services that are not prohibited in their capacity as employees of Russian entities, the prohibition applies to non-Russian branches of Russian entities which have no legal personality of their own…

OFSI publishes blog post on staying compliant with financial sanctions in the maritime sector

The blog provides guidance on how to stay compliant with sanctions in the maritime sector: verify the identity of customers, partners, and third party intermediaries, and consider all layers of ownership and control; implement robust compliance policies, conduct ongoing training and awareness programmes and procedures, and invest in technology and screening tools…

OFSI issues new General Licence for the wind down of transactions involving two Turkish shipping companies under the Russia Regulations

OFSI issued General Licence INT/2024/4576632 authorising certain activities relating to two Turkish shipping companies, “Active Denizcilik” and “Beks Ships”, which are each UK asset freeze targets…