The Office of Foreign Assets Control on March 29 will end the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Agreement, which blocked Russian government property related to disposition of HEU extracted from nuclear weapons, OFAC said (here). The agency took the action because the national emergency on which the regulations were based has been canceled, it said. President Barack Obama on May 26 terminated a 2012 renewal of a 2000 executive order that activated the national emergency, which stated that Russia’s possession of a “large volume” of weapons-usable fissile material threatened U.S. national security and foreign policy. The HEU Agreements had been implemented successfully, allowing the discontinuation, OFAC said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on March 24 issued General License I (here): Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to the Negotiation of, and Entry into, Contingent Contracts for Activities Eligible for Authorization Under the Statement of Licensing Policy for Activities Related to the Export or Re-export to Iran of Commercial Passenger Aircraft and Related Parts and Services. The license authorizes approved U.S. individuals to engage in “all transactions ordinarily incident to the negotiation of and entry into” contracts for activities eligible under U.S. licensing policy for export and re-export into Iran of commercial passenger aircraft and related items. OFAC also said it has updated its frequently asked questions on the lifting of secondary sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (here), as it relates to the general license. OFAC issued the license to facilitate more efficient processing of export and re-export applications, it said (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control is adding entities and individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List (here), and is publishing updated identifying information for one individual and one entity on the SDN List, OFAC said (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added one individual and one entity to its Specially Designated Nationals list under Central African Republic conflict designations (here), and added two individuals to the list pursuant to Zimbabwe sanctions regulations (here), OFAC said. The agency has also frozen the assets of Tanzanian national Ali Khatib Haji Hassan (a.k.a. "Shkuba"), and has identified Hassan and the Hassan Drug Trafficking Organization as "significant foreign narcotics traffickers," pursuant to the Kingpin Act, OFAC said (here). Under the Kingpin designation, U.S. persons are "generally prohibited" from engaging in transactions with Hassan or his group.

CGG Services, formerly known as CGGVeritas, has agreed to pay $614,250 on behalf of itself and affiliated companies to settle potential civil liability for alleged violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said (here). OFAC recorded at least four instances between 2010 and 2011 when the oil and gas and seismic survey equipment company exported spare parts to vessels while they operated in Cuban territorial waters. CGG also allegedly illegally processed seismic data conducted in Cuba’s Exclusive Economic Zone, benefiting a Cuban company, according to OFAC. Although CGG did not voluntarily self-disclose the actions, OFAC determined the alleged violations constituted a non-egregious case, and said CGG “substantially cooperated” with the investigation.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added two individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals list, under transnational criminal organization designations, OFAC said (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added three individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals list, under counter-terrorism designations (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated a terrorist under its Specially Designated Nationals list (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control made changes to its Specially Designated Nationals list, removing Kingpin Act and Zimbabwe designations, and updating Burundi and counter-terrorism designations (here).

OFAC on Feb. 4 issued a finding of violation to a Middle East subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson for violating Sudanese sanctions regulations, it said (here). According to OFAC, Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc. in 2010 broke the regulations when it coordinated and supervised shipments of goods from Johnson and Johnson (Egypt) S.A.E. to Khartoum, Sudan. Before August 2010, Johnson & Johnson (Middle East)’s general manager for emerging markets, Middle East and North Africa, was “unfamiliar” with U.S. sanctions and wasn’t trained on compliance with OFAC regulations, OFAC said. The office did not assess any civil penalties for Johnson & Johnson, OFAC said (here).