Kuang Chiang, a former licensing officer at the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, has joined Morrison Foerster as of counsel in its national security group, the firm announced this week. Most recently, Chiang was counsel at A&O Shearman, where she worked for more than eight years. Chiang served as a licensing officer at OFAC during 2009-2012.
Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., said Oct. 30 that she intends to work with the Trump administration, including the State and Treasury departments, to ensure that the U.N. fully carries out plans to reimpose "snapback” sanctions on Iran.
Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Select Committee on China, announced Oct. 30 that they're introducing a companion to a Senate bill that would require U.S. manufacturers of advanced AI chips to make their products available to American firms before selling them to China and other "countries of concern."
The U.K. on Oct. 30 amended an Iran-related sanctions entry for Aliakbar Ansari, who was listed for "providing economic resources" to the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Lukoil, the major Russian energy company sanctioned by the U.S. last week (see 2510220050), has accepted an offer for its international business, Lukoil International GmbH, to be bought by Gunvor Group, a multinational energy commodities trading company, Lukoil announced Oct. 30. It said the agreement depends on Gunvor obtaining "permission" from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, "as well as any other applicable licenses, permits and other authorizations in other applicable jurisdictions."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned the Mexico-based Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organization, a transnational criminal organization, and its leader, Vikrant Bhardwaj. The agency also sanctioned senior members and affiliates of the group, along with companies that have "facilitated and profited" from its criminal activities.
The Society for International Affairs this month released its Encryption Exception Handbook for Trade Professionals, covering how U.S. export controls apply to encryption items, export-control-related reporting requirements, FAQs and more.
The Commerce Department again renewed a temporary export denial order for Mahan Airways, saying that the Iranian airline continues to violate the order and the Export Administration Regulations. In its Oct. 31 notice, Commerce said Mahan, which has been on the banned list since 2008, has continued flights between Iran and Russia, China and Pakistan in violation of U.S. export controls. BIS extended the denial order for one year.
The U.S. will suspend the Bureau of Industry and Security’s 50% rule for one year in exchange for Beijing postponing its export restrictions on rare earths for one year, the two sides announced Oct. 30.
The U.K. lifted its arms embargo on Armenia and Azerbaijan effective Oct. 13, the country's Export Control Joint Unit said Oct. 29. The embargo "covered weapons, ammunition and munitions that might be used on the land border between Armenia and Azerbaijan by military, police, security forces and related government entities of either state." All export and trade license applications for Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue to be assessed on a case-by-case basis against the U.K.'s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, the U.K. said.