The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned a network of people, companies and ships that it said are moving millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil to China on behalf of the Iranian military and a sanctioned front company, Sepehr Energy Jahan Nama Pars (see 2311290034).
The Bureau of Industry and Security revoked the export privileges of a Florida-based freight forwarding company, the company’s owner and five other businesses for illegally shipping export controlled items to Russia as recently as last year, according to a BIS temporary denial order and court documents.
The Trump administration is determined to impose tariffs on China “regardless” of any progress it makes on stopping fentanyl from flowing into the U.S., a Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said Feb. 5 during a regular press conference in Beijing. The U.S. is “bent on levying a 10 percent additional tariff on Chinese imports under the pretext of the fentanyl issue,” the person said, adding that Beijing “firmly deplores and opposes this move and has taken necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.”
Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Feb. 2 urged Hungary and Slovakia to end their opposition to EU sanctions against Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili and his “cronies” who “rigged” the country’s October parliamentary elections and are now "brutally cracking down" on pro-democracy protesters. Previously, on Jan. 29, Wilson and U.K. Parliament Member James MacCleary jointly asked U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy to sanction Ivanishvili. The State Department sanctioned him in late December (see 2412270011).
A new national security memorandum signed this week by President Donald Trump orders U.S. agencies to pursue a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran to stop the country from developing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism (see 2502040073). It calls on the U.S. to impose new sanctions against the country while stepping up enforcement and possibly revoke any general license or guidance document that gives “Iran or any of its terror proxies any degree of economic or financial relief.”
The Senate Commerce Committee voted, 16-12, Feb. 5 to advance President Donald Trump’s choice of Howard Lutnick to be commerce secretary, sending the nomination to the full Senate for its consideration. The vote came days after Lutnick promised to scrutinize U.S. export controls on advanced artificial intelligence chips, telling lawmakers in recently published comments that a review of the restrictions will be “a top priority” if he’s confirmed.
Moments after President Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs on all Chinese products took effect Feb. 4 (see 2502030034), China announced new tariffs and export controls against the U.S. and added two American companies to its so-called unreliable entity list, including one that it accused of adopting “discriminatory measures” when sourcing products from China's Xinjiang region.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and member Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced a bill Feb. 3 that would sanction foreign entities that facilitate illegal immigration into the U.S., including human smuggling networks and financial institutions that enable their operations.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., has urged newly installed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to follow through on his pledge to increase sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
The Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze will hamstring efforts by international organizations such as Conflict Armament Research (CAR) to detect sales of American technology to foreign "adversaries," including Iran, North Korea and Russia, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Feb. 4.