The Treasury Department disputed a report that said South Korea obtained a “special license” to export humanitarian goods to Iran (see 2004170026), saying the country may be using an existing general license but did not receive an additional exemption. The Office of Foreign Assets Control “has not issued a ‘special license’ to the Koreans,” a Treasury spokesperson said. OFAC’s Iran sanctions regime contains “broad exemptions” for humanitarian exports, which may make some South Korean exports “permissible,” the spokesperson said.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is encouraging industry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to reach out to OFAC if the agency's regulations are delaying industry's ability to “meet deadlines,” OFAC said in an April 20 notice. This includes industry’s ability to file blocking and reject reports (see 2002200057), responses to administrative subpoenas, reports required by general or specific licenses or “any other required reports or submissions.” OFAC also asked industry to submit self-disclosures to OFACdisclosures@treasury.gov instead of physical submissions.

The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation corrected several entries in its Iran (human rights) sanctions regime, according to an April 17 notice. The notice corrected entries for Mohammad Hosseini, Ali Ashraf Rashidi Aghdam, Hossein Taeb and the Iranian Cyber Police. All four entries are still subject to an asset freeze.

Several U.S. agencies, including the State Department and Treasury Department, issued an April 15 guidance on cyber threats posed by North Korea, including sanctions in place to counter those threats. The guidance includes information on the types of North Korean actions that constitute “sanctionable conduct,” entities and people currently designated for cyber activity, how Treasury investigates possible cyber-related sanctionable conduct and more.

European Parliament members sent a letter earlier this month urging the European Commission to refrain from lifting sanctions against Russia, according to a member of the parliament. Although some officials have called for a global cessation of all sanctions during the pandemic (see 2003250010), 19 members said sanctions should only be lifted in cases in which they hinder humanitarian trade. “[N]ot all existing sanctions prevent sanctioned countries from obtaining medical equipment and essential goods,” the letter said. The members stressed that European Union sanctions on Russia include an arms embargo, an export ban for dual use goods and restrictions on access to sensitive technologies, but do not prohibit Russia from importing medical goods. The EU should do “everything in your power to maintain” Russian sanctions, the letter said.

The State Department is offering up to $10 million for information about Muhammad Kawtharani, a U.S.-sanctioned Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the agency said April 10. The offer, part of the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program (see 1911080020), will be awarded for information on Kawtharani’s “activities, networks and associates,” the agency said, which will lead to the “disruption of the financial mechanisms” for terrorist organization Lebanese Hizballah.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control updated a Venezuela-related general license and amended a Venezuela-related frequently asked question, OFAC said in an April 10 notice. General License No. 5C authorizes certain transactions related to Petroleos de Venezuela involving an 8.5% bond on or after July 22, 2020. The FAQ clarifies which transactions are authorized by the license.

The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended its Iran sanctions entries to reflect the European Union’s renewal of the sanctions until April 13, 2021, OFSI said in an April 9 notice. The renewal affects 82 entries under the U.K.’s human rights program for Iran (see 2004090024).

The European Union renewed its Iran human rights sanctions, the EU said in an April 8 notice. The sanctions were renewed until April 13, 2021.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control updated the North Korean Sanctions Regulations by adding new sanctions provisions and exemptions and amending the definition for “luxury goods,” according to a notice in the Federal Register. OFAC also made several technical edits to three definitions, revised an “interpretive provision” and updated the “authorities and delegations sections” of the regulations.