OFAC Issues FAQ for Humanitarian Exports to Iran to Aid With Coronavirus

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a frequently asked question March 6 clarifying how humanitarian goods can be sent to Iran to assist with the coronavirus outbreak. OFAC said there are a “number of ways” humanitarian goods, including donations, can be sent to the country, adding that medical-related donations are “generally exempt” from U.S. sanctions if those donations are not being sent to the Iranian government or others blocked by the Iranian Transactions Sanctions Regulations. OFAC also said donations are not authorized for shipments to entries on the agency’s Specially Designated Nationals List. Nongovernmental organizations are authorized under General License E to export services to Iran “in support of certain not-for-profit activities designed to directly benefit the Iranian people,” OFAC said. Others interested in exporting humanitarian goods to Iran should review the ITSR and other OFAC guidance, the agency said.

The U.S. recently set up a joint mechanism intended to provide companies a path to exporting humanitarian goods to Iran (see 2002270017) amid criticism from some lawmakers that U.S. sanctions were inadvertently blocking goods that should be authorized (see 1912120027). Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, recently wrote to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the mechanism may not convince risk-averse banks and businesses to export to the country (see 2003030015).