The Treasury, Commerce and State departments released new guidance this week about the Syria-related sanctions and export control relief that's available to companies and other organizations and what Syria-related restrictions still remain (see 2508280029, 2505230073 and 2506160030). The three-page document is aimed at encouraging "U.S. private sector and foreign partner reengagement in Syria."

Canada sanctioned four senior Iranian officials last week for "gross and systematic human rights violations" and for playing a role in carrying out "repressive policies." The designations target Mohsen Karimi and Ahmad Kadem Seyedoshohada, who are senior officials with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Mustafa Mohebbi, former head of the State Prison Organization in Tehran; and Hassan Akharian, head of Ward 5 and solitary confinement of the Rajaei Shahr Prison.

The U.S. on Dec. 20 seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela that was "suspected of carrying oil subject to U.S. sanctions," DHS said in a social media post. Secretary Kristi Noem said the U.S. "will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region."

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Dec. 19 again extended a general license that continues to delay an exemption that would authorize certain transactions related to Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., Venezuela’s state-owned energy company. General License 5T, which replaced GL 5S, now authorizes certain transactions with PdVSA involving an 8.5% bond on or after Feb. 3, 2026. The previous license was set to allow those transactions to occur on or after Dec. 20.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned five adult family members of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, a nephew of the wife of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Exodus Movement, the U.S. cryptocurrency trading software company that agreed to pay more than $3 million to the Office of Foreign Assets Control this week to resolve allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions on Iran (see 2512160053), said it "acknowledges and regrets its prior compliance shortcomings during an early period in the firm’s lifetime." A spokesperson said in an email that the firm has "since taken stringent countermeasures and invested millions of dollars to ensure these lapses never happen again. Exodus has fully collaborated with OFAC throughout the investigation and are glad to put this matter firmly behind us."

The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated two Russia-related general licenses involving certain transactions involving Lukoil International GmbH, the international business of Russian energy firm Lukoil. One FAQ covers General License 131A (see 2512100017), which authorizes certain activities related to the negotiation of contracts for the sale of Lukoil International, and the other FAQ covers GL 131A along with GL 128B (see 2512040018), which authorizes certain transactions involving Lukoil retail service stations located outside Russia.

The Council of the European Union on Dec. 18 imposed sanctions on 41 shadow fleet vessels helping Russia move energy or items in support of the Russian military. The vessels are now subject to a "port access ban and ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport." The EU's sanctions on the shadow fleet now extend to almost 600 vessels. The bloc earlier in the week sanctioned people and four entities responsible for supporting Russia’s shadow fleet (see 2512150038).

The U.S. this week sanctioned two International Criminal Court judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, after accusing them of aiding the court's "politicized actions" against Israel. The State Department said the judges are helping the ICC "investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent." They also voted in favor of the ICC’s ruling against Israel’s appeal on Dec. 15. The ICC is investigating the Israeli government for committing alleged war crimes against civilians in Gaza.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned 29 ships and their management companies, which it said are operating as part of Iran's shadow fleet and helping the country transport petroleum and petroleum products through "deceptive shipping practices." They have helped Iran move hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian petroleum, OFAC said.