February 20, 2020

OFAC designates Iranian election officials

The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury has designated five members of the Guardian Council of Iran and the Iranian Elections Supervision Committee pursuant to Executive Order 13876 for having been appointed by the Supreme Leader of Iran, or for their association with the Supreme Leader’s office.  The sanctioned individuals include the Secretary of the Guardian Council, a religious jurist who is a member of the Guardian Council, and three members of the Elections Supervisory Committee of the Guardian Council.  According to OFAC, the designated persons are responsible for disqualifying candidates for parliamentary and presidential elections, and preventing the Iranian people from participating in free and fair elections.

Following OFAC’s action, US property of the designated persons must be blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from dealing with the property of blocked or designated persons. Non-US persons that engage in transactions with the designated individuals may themselves be exposed to sanctions, and foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions on behalf of the designated persons could be subject to US correspondent or payable-through account sanctions.

Dept of the Treasury press release