On July 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a second major action taken in its sanctions modernization initiative, which was unveiled by Secretary Scott Bessent in May. The effort aims to ensure that U.S. sanctions remain targeted, effective, and aligned with the nation’s economic, foreign policy, and national security priorities. To this end, OFAC has applied modern data standards to older sanctions entries, updated identifying information for listed persons and entities to reduce compliance burdens on financial institutions, and launched an online Reconsideration Portal on June 29, 2026, that streamlines the delisting petition process for sanctioned parties and their authorized representatives.
In its latest action, OFAC removed 84 individuals and entities from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), including deceased individuals, defunct entities, and targets sanctioned more than 20 years ago who lacked sufficient identifying information for effective compliance screening. The agency also improved identifying information for 22 list entries and resolved 18 sets of duplicate entries by removing redundant listings and updating relevant identifiers. OFAC also ensured that all removals underwent appropriate interagency review to confirm they would not harm U.S. foreign policy or national security interests.
U.S. Department of Treasury Press Release | SDN List Updates