New U.K. sanctions regulations will enter into force on Dec. 5. The measures move up the implementation date for import bans relating to Russian oil and oil products, from Dec. 31; bar the supply or delivery by ship of Russian oil and oil products from Russia to a third country or from a third country to another third country; ban the provision of financial services to facilitate the supply or delivery of Russian oil and oil products from Russia to a third country; grant exceptions to the measures where the banned oil and oil products originate in a non-Russian country and are not owned by a person connected with Russia and are only being loaded in, leaving or transiting through Russia; and give the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation the power to hit offenders with civil monetary penalties.
The U.K. issued a general license under its Russia sanctions regime pertaining to "transactions related to agricultural commodities including the provision of insurance and other services." The license permits agricultural commodities exporters or Department for International Trade license holders to receive funds from listed individuals and entities in connection with the export, sale, production and transport of agricultural commodities. These exporters and license holders can also transfer funds to relevant institutions in connection with the export of these goods, to U.K. corporates, to designated parties and to any other individual in connection with the export of agricultural commodities. The license was issued indefinitely, though the Treasury can revoke it at any time.
The semiconductor industry was disappointed the new U.S. export control rules involving China weren’t imposed multilaterally and were frustrated by the Commerce Department’s lack of engagement before the rules were announced, a chip industry executive said. Semiconductor companies also have received mixed messages from Commerce about how long it could take to convince allies to impose similar controls, a China technology expert said, and fear that China could retaliate before allies are brought on board.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated members of an international oil smuggling network that facilitated oil trades and generated revenue for Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), according to a Nov. 3 OFAC notice.
The U.K. issued a general license Nov. 2 under its Russia sanctions regime pertaining to Truphone. The license lets the company continue to provide services under existing arrangements and allows an individual or entity to carry out any activity needed for the effective termination of service contracts or obligations with Truphone. The company can pay remuneration, allowances and pensions to all British staff and reasonable fees for the functioning of the business. The license runs through Jan. 31.
The U.K. added four entries to its Russia sanctions list, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in a Nov. 2 notice. Entries are for Alexander Grigoryevich Abramov, former nonexecutive chairman of Evraz; Alexander Vladimirovich Frolov, former Evra director and CEO; Airat Mintimerovich Shaimiev, former director of OAO Tatavtodor; and Albert Kashafovich Shigabutdinov, former director of the AO TAIF group of companies. In the same notice, OFSI also noted it amended the entries for Aleksandr Kostomarov, Brian McDonald and God Nisanov, to add identifying information.
The Biden administration should “make full use” of its sanctions and export control authorities against Iran for transferring weapons and other military items to Russia, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a Nov. 1 letter to the White House. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said Iran has sent hundreds of “lethal Mohajer-6 and Shahed-136 drones, as well as related technology and military advisors” to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, and is reportedly preparing to provide “Fateh-100 and Zolfaghar” ballistic missiles.
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Canada on Oct. 31 imposed new sanctions against Iran for human rights violations by its government, including its recent crackdown on women and peaceful protesters. The sanctions target Hossein Rahimi, a police commander; Ahmad Fazelian, deputy attorney general; Asadollah Jafari, head of the Judicial Administration in the North Khorasan Province; and Seyed Morteza Mousavi, deputy head of the Judicial Administration in the Mazandaran Province. Also sanctioned were two entities: Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces and Al-Mustafa International University, which “spreads the regime’s ideology abroad through its global branches.”
The U.K. released a General License under its Russia and Belarus sanctions regimes pertaining to the provision of legal services, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The license allows for the payment of legal fees by designated individuals and entities to law firms and counsel. The license distinguishes between legal fees issued pre- and post-designation. OFSI imposed a cap of around $574,000, VAT included, on the amount that can be claimed for legal work carried out pre-designation, and an identical cap on overall fees for legal work started post-designation with reporting obligations proving all fees are reasonable.