China last week announced sanctions against nine American defense companies and their senior executives for arms sales to Taiwan. The measures, taken under China’s anti-foreign sanctions law (see 2309270039 and 2310230032), target Sierra Nevada, S3 Aerospace Defense, ACT1 Federal, Cubic Corp. and others, according to an unofficial translation of a Sept. 18 notice from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said the sanctions freeze those companies’ assets in China, and Chinese companies will be barred from doing certain business with their executives.

The U.N. Security Council this week revised a North Korea-related entry on its sanctions list to update the person’s identifying information. The entry for Ri Pyong Chul now lists his position as vice chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Military Commission.

The Group of 7 nations and EU said they are preparing new sanctions in response to recent Iranian weapons transfers to Russia, following a similar statement by the Council of the European Union one day earlier (see 2409130036).

Australia announced new sanctions this week against five senior Iranian security and law enforcement officials involved in the “violent repression” of protests in Iran, Australia’s foreign affairs ministry said. The designations mark the second anniversary of the arrest and subsequent death of Mahsa Jina Amini, who was accused of not correctly wearing a hijab. Australia said it has now sanctioned 195 Iran-linked people and entities, including almost 100 linked to the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The U.S. sanctioned two Georgian government officials and two Georgian citizens for their ties to the violent suppression of peaceful protests and expression in the country.

President Joe Biden formally directed his administration last week to implement several new sanctions-related laws, including one aimed at Iranian oil exports.

The U.S. this week sanctioned five people and one entity with ties to the Intellexa Consortium, a web of companies that builds and uses spyware products. The designations target Felix Bitzios, Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi, Merom Harpaz, Panagiota Karaoli and Artemis Artemiou, who have ties to companies that are part of the consortium, and Aliada Group, a British Virgin Islands-based company and member of the consortium. The U.S. has previously sanctioned people and entities with ties to the group, which develops commercial spyware known as Predator that’s used to target government officials, journalists and others (see 2403050020).

A new final rule released last week by the Office of Foreign Assets Control will clarify the agency’s process for issuing certain blocked property orders or orders that impose “less than full blocking” restrictions. The rule, effective Sept. 17, describes the three types of actions OFAC may take with respect to property or interests in property, the “forms of notice” that OFAC may use, and how parties affected by blocked property orders can contact the agency with “inquiries.” The agency said those affected by sanctions “should have an opportunity to understand the nature of OFAC’s action and its impact on their property or interests in property.” The rule also makes other minor revisions and clarifications to its sanctions regulations.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued a reminder to industry to file annual reports on blocked property by Sept. 30. Holders of blocked property must provide the agency "with a comprehensive list of all blocked property held as of June 30 of the current year by September 30," OFAC said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week added two Russian nationals and three Russian entities to its Specially Designated Nationals List and issued a new general license.