The new year has brought new sanctions actions by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control and the U.S. Department of State. The most prominent are the expanded sanctions[1] brought against Iran in the wake of escalated tensions between the two countries.
“The United States is targeting senior Iranian officials for their involvement and complicity in Tuesday’s ballistic missile strikes,” said Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “We are also designating Iran’s largest metals manufacturers, and imposing sanctions on new sectors of the Iranian economy including construction, manufacturing, and mining. These sanctions will continue until the regime stops the funding of global terrorism and commits to never having nuclear weapons.”
The Office of Foreign Asset Control also designated a Chinese and North Korean entity, while the Department of State curbed charter flights to Cuba[2] in an effort to reduce that country’s ability to aid Venezuela; it also expanded sanctions against Venezuelan individuals for allegedly interfering in the political process.[3]
