On 19 March 2020, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned five companies based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), pursuant to Executive Order 13846 (EO 13846), for their alleged involvement in purchasing hundreds of thousands of metric tons of petroleum products from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for delivery to the UAE. The following UAE-based companies were added to the US Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List): (1) Alam Althrwa General Trading LLC, (2) Alphabet International DMCC, (3) Alwaneo LLC CO, (4) Petro Grand FZE, and (5) Swissol Trade DMCC (together the Sanctioned Companies).
For more information and to view the full article, please visit our Baker McKenzie Sanctions Blog.
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Author
Samir Safar-Aly, LL.M.
Samir Safar-Aly is an English-qualified senior associate in Baker McKenzie's DIFC office in the UAE, focusing on financial crime and financial regulation for the wider MENA region from both an advisory and investigations perspective. Samir's expertise includes UAE, Saudi and wider international anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) rules, anti-bribery and corruption laws (covering the GCC, UK and U.S.) and other areas of white-collar and financial crime. He also advises governments in Africa and Asia on public policy and legal and regulatory reform. Samir has particular expertise in financial and economic sanctions and regularly provides guidance on UN, U.S. (OFAC), UK, EU and GCC sanctions regimes and export-control issues across a wide range of sectors. With regards to financial regulation, Samir covers the GCC and wider Middle East and provides guidance on the cross-border marketing of financial services and products, conduct issues and license applications. He regularly advises the world's leading financial institutions, asset managers, as well as FinTech start-ups.
Author
Laura Klick
Laura Klick is a US-qualified associate in Baker McKenzie's London office, where she advises on a variety of trade and compliance matters involving US, UK, and EU export controls and economic sanctions. Laura regularly counsels individuals and multinational corporations on compliance, licensing, and enforcement matters involving the US Treasury, State, and Commerce Departments and assists clients in understanding and navigating the complex regulatory regime governing international trade and investment.