2017

In brief remarks, President Trump announced that in addition to his administration’s new Iran strategy, he “cannot and will not” certify to Congress that the continued suspension of sanctions against Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is appropriate. Reiterating his often stated claim that “the Iran Deal was one of…

After a nine-month review, consultations with his national security staff and discussions with members of Congress, President Trump has announced a new U.S. strategy on relations with Iran. In a statement, the White House announced that the “new Iran strategy focuses on neutralizing the Government of Iran’s destabilizing influence and constraining its aggression, particularly…

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency committee headed by the Department of the Treasury, is authorized to review transactions that could result in the control of U.S. businesses by foreign persons or companies in order to determine the effect of such transactions on the national security of the United…

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States and several other countries agreed to ease certain sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran’s commitment to limit its nuclear program. This relaxation, however, was limited in scope to any nuclear-related sanctions, and the United States and other parties to the JCPOA continue to…

Just days after the issuance of an executive order imposing a range of sanctions on North Korea, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has taken further action by placing eight North Korean banks and 26 individuals linked to North Korean financial networks on the Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN List). As a…

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has determined that increased imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (whether or not partially or fully assembled into other products) are being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the U.S. solar equipment industry. After its 4-0…

President Trump has issued a new executive order implementing further sanctions in response to North Korea’s “provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions,” particularly its recent intercontinental ballistic missile launches and its nuclear test of September 2, 2017. The new sanctions, to be implemented by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), target…

Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Elaine Duke has issued a Binding Operational Directive (BOD 17-01) directing federal executive branch departments and agencies to take actions related to the use or presence of information security products, solutions and services supplied directly or indirectly by AO Kaspersky Lab or related entities. The directive…