A former professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology has been charged in Norway with violating sanctions on Iran, export control regulations and the country's data breach laws, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corp. reported, according to an unofficial translation. The professor allegedly invited four guest researchers from Iran, giving them laboratory access at the university in 2018-19. The four also were given access to defense information without obtaining the necessary license from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the report said. Norway alleges the visitors could have gained knowledge beneficial to Iran's nuclear program.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control fined two Texas companies -- both subsidiaries of Netherlands-based oilfield services company Schlumberger Ltd. -- for violating U.S. sanctions against Russia and Sudan, OFAC said Sept. 27. The agency fined oil and gas service provider Cameron International Corp. more than $1.4 million for illegally providing services for a Russian Arctic offshore oil project and fined gas product provider Schlumberger Rod Lift, Inc. $160,000 for helping to illegally facilitate shipments to Sudan. OFAC said neither company voluntarily self-disclosed its violations.
Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Fla., introduced a bill that would prohibit U.S. funding for the Taliban government and require sanctions on foreigners who knowingly provide assistance to Afghanistan's government. Franklin said Sept. 23 that his bill is a companion to the bill introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., (see 2109210010). He has five Republican co-sponsors. Franklin said the bill also would repeal the exception in Iran sanctions for sectors necessary for Afghan reconstruction. "While we feel this should be an issue on which all sides can agree, sadly our Democrat colleagues have not chosen to join this effort,” Franklin said.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Sept. 13-17 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Three members of a Florida family were charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions on Iran and money laundering, the Department of Justice said. Mohammad Faghihi, along with his wife, Farzeneh Modarresi, and sister, Faezeh Faghihi, led Florida-based Express Gene -- a company that allegedly received multiple wire transfers from accounts in Malaysia, China, Singapore, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, totaling nearly $3.5 million, between October 2016 and November 2020. Some of this money allegedly was used to buy and then ship genetic sequencing equipment to Iran without a license from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, DOJ said.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi asked Japan to release $3 billion worth of Iranian funds that are frozen in Japan because of U.S. sanctions, Reuters reported Aug. 22. Raisi recently asked Japan’s foreign minister to release the funds, which were generated from gas export sales but are frozen due to expansive U.S. sanctions on Iran’s banking and energy sectors, the report said. “The improvement of ties with Japan is of great importance for Iran. ... Any delay in unblocking Iranian assets in Japanese banks is not justified,” Raisi told Japan’s foreign minister, according to the report.
The European Council announced the alignment of third countries to its sanctions regimes on Lebanon and Iran. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Georgia aligned themselves with the measures pertaining to the Lebanon sanctions. Except for Georgia, the same countries, along with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine and Moldova aligned themselves with the restrictive measures Iran sanctions.
The European Council removed the former deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Sayed Shamsuddin Borborudi, from its Iran sanctions list and Libyan Gen. Khaled Tohami from its Libyan sanctions regime July 29. The council delisted both individuals following judgments from the European Union General Court to delete the listings.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for July 19-23 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Commerce and Treasury departments fined a Dubai energy equipment supplier and its U.S. affiliate more than $430,000 for illegally exporting goods to Iran, the agencies said July 19. The U.S. fined Dubai-based Alfa Laval Middle East (AL Middle East) $415,695 for exporting Gamajet brand storage tank cleaning units from the U.S. to Iran and fined Virginia-based Alfa Laval (AL U.S.) $16,875 because its subsidiary referred an Iranian “business opportunity” to AL Middle East, according to enforcement orders issued this week.