The New Cold War: Risk, Sanctions, Compliance Episode 22: "Focus on Iran: Protests, Sanctions and Oil"
Our International Trade team comments on additional restrictions on trade with Cuba
On May 23, 2025, General License 25 (“GL 25” or the “General License”) was issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), suspending a wide array of sanctions against Syria....more
On May 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued General License No. 25 (“GL 25”) authorizing certain transactions involving Syria and a specified list of blocked...more
Less than two weeks after President Donald Trump announced that his administration would lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State took significant first steps to provide the anticipated...more
On May 23, 2025, the United States formally eased its economic sanctions on Syria. This action authorizes a significant number of transactions that previously would have violated U.S. sanctions. ...more
On May 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Syria General License (GL) 25 to provide immediate sanctions relief for Syria in line with President Trump’s May 13, 2025...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on May 23, 2025, announced a significant relaxation of the comprehensive economic sanctions imposed on Syria through the issuance of General...more
President Trump announced plans to relax sanctions against Syria during his recent trip to the Middle East, where he visited with the country’s President, Ahmed al-Sharaa. ...more
General License 25 effectively suspends OFAC sanctions targeting Syria. Stringent US export control restrictions on exports and reexports to Syria remain....more
On March 12, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) allowed General License (GL) 8L under the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations to expire. As a result, broad OFAC...more
The Trump administration continues to ramp up sanctions on Venezuela and Yemen's Houthis, while sending mixed signals about its intentions with respect to Russia. We provide brief updates on these three areas, following up...more
President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 26, 2025, that he was reversing the authorization granted to Chevron Corp. and its subsidiaries (Chevron) by the Biden Administration as a concession aimed at promoting free elections...more
In its continuing response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. government has deployed a whole-of-government approach to impose sanctions and tighter export controls on Russia and Belarus. This alert summarizes...more
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Syria General License 24 (GL 24) authorizing certain transactions with the new Syrian government and easing some transactions related to energy and personal remittances....more
On January 10, 2025, in a final action to, among other things, deter Russian aggression on the international stage, the US Department of the Treasury enacted sweeping new sanctions on the Russian energy sector. Specifically,...more
On January 10, 2025, the Biden Administration issued a broad sanctions package targeting the Russian energy sector, 10 days in advance of the transition to the incoming Trump Administration. The new sanctions also added two...more
On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued significant new sanctions targeting Russia’s primary oil revenue sources, including sanctions against Public Joint...more
The US government signals careful optimism with a new general license authorizing some previously prohibited transactions, including many (but not all) transactions with Syrian governing institutions, for the next six months....more
On December 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License (GL) 1B (Authorizing Certain Activities Involving Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue...more
US SANCTIONS - US Department of the Treasury Takes Further Action against Russia’s International Supply Chains: On August 23, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US...more
On 12 June 2024, the US Departments of Treasury, State, and Commerce imposed new restrictions targeting Russia, including: (i) restricting the provision of certain information technology and software services to Russia...more
The Biden Administration’s recent expansion of sanctions and export controls to counter Russian aggression will impact non-U.S. financial institutions and increase compliance risks for the business software sector and other...more
Broad authorizations permitting dealings in Venezuela’s oil and gas sector came to an end on April 17, 2024, when the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) terminated General...more
On April 17, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released General License (GL) 44A, requiring the wind down of business transactions with Venezuela’s state-owned energy company Petróleos...more
During the first quarter of 2024, there were significant developments in the U.S. sanctions framework. This report summarizes the key developments and provides links to the relevant sources....more
On December 22, 2023, President Biden issued Executive Order 14114, which amended previous Executive Orders in order to authorize the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) to impose additional...more