Exodus Movement, the U.S. cryptocurrency trading software company that agreed to pay more than $3 million to the Office of Foreign Assets Control this week to resolve allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions on Iran (see 2512160053), said it "acknowledges and regrets its prior compliance shortcomings during an early period in the firm’s lifetime." A spokesperson said in an email that the firm has "since taken stringent countermeasures and invested millions of dollars to ensure these lapses never happen again. Exodus has fully collaborated with OFAC throughout the investigation and are glad to put this matter firmly behind us."
The U.K. delisted two individuals and two entities from its Syria sanctions regime Dec. 17, though it said all four parties remain sanctioned under different restrictions regimes.
A group of Ukrainian nationals on Dec. 10 accused Intel, Texas Instruments, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Mouser Electronics of not doing enough to ensure the semiconductor parts they make don't end up in Russian or Iranian hands (Shumylo v. Texas Instruments, Tex. # 25-09714).
European Parliament members urged the EU last week to impose new sanctions on Tanzanian authorities for violence against protesters and on Iranian officials for the "systemic suppression and escalating persecution" of Iran’s Baha’i community.
The U.K. on Nov. 3 amended one entry under its Iran sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated the listing for Ali Aliakbar Ansari to add the name "Ali." Ansari was sanctioned for providing economic resources to the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., said Oct. 30 that she intends to work with the Trump administration, including the State and Treasury departments, to ensure that the U.N. fully carries out plans to reimpose "snapback” sanctions on Iran.
Deutsche Bundesbank, the national central bank of Germany, recently published guidance to help customers and other operators comply with new snapback sanctions on Iran (see 2509290051). The bank stressed that all provisions of funds to sanctioned Iranian people or entities are blocked, and certain payments designed to send certain goods and technologies to Iran are "generally prohibited, such as certain goods, software and technologies that could contribute to Iran's military and technological strengthening," according to an unofficial translation. Other portions of the guidance outline potential exemptions, reporting requirements related to money transfers, and more.
The U.N. Security Council and the U.K. this week amended listings under their sanctions regimes.
Canada imposed new sanctions on Iran Oct. 1 following the U.N.'s move last month to reimpose Iranian restrictions that were paused after the 2015 nuclear deal. The Canadian measures include "broad prohibitions" on exports to and imports from Iran of nuclear, dual-use and ballistic-missile-related material, equipment and technology; prohibitions on technical and financial assistance related to restricted goods; an arms embargo; and service restrictions for Iranian vessels. The announcement follows similar moves to impose snapback sanctions on Iran by the EU, the U.K. and others (see 2510010018 and 2508280033).
The U.K. on Oct. 1 reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran covering 121 people and entities, which were paused after the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. The reimposition of the restrictions follows the reinstatement of the so-called "snapback" sanctions earlier this week at the U.N. (see 2508280033).