UANI Introduces New Database To Track Sanctions Violations And Penalties

(New York, N.Y.) – United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) introduced today a new digital tool to provide policymakers and the public with comprehensive information about corporate violations of U.S. and global economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as associated penalties.

UANI’s Iran Corporate Violations and Penalties (CVP) Tracker covers a period of 23 years to today, starting in 1997 when the U.S. Commerce Department imposed the maximum civil penalty of $30,000 against AAT Communications to settle allegations that the company shipped electronic test equipment and communications components that were destined for Iran.

“As the U.S. maximum pressure campaign continues its due diligence against the murderous, rogue regime in Tehran, we have seen numerous companies and countries attempt to circumnavigate U.S. sanctions to further business interests with Iran,” said UANI Executive Director David Ibsen. “UANI’s new CVP tracker brings to light the multitude of historical violations committed by the Iranian regime, as well as the risks associated with conducting economic measures with Tehran, and it should serve as a marquis database for holding the Iranians – and its partners – accountable for their illegal business ventures.”

Through the end of 2019, the Trump administration added an average of 1,000 names to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list each year, more than twice the annual average increase seen under either President Barack Obama or George W. Bush. In addition, more than 500 civil and criminal cases have been settled by the U.S. Department of Justice and federal agencies, resulting in over $19 billion in fines paid out by companies. The CVP is designed to assist the public and policymakers better understand which companies have violated sanctions and identify individuals that have been bad actors.

To read UANI’s blog, Introducing UANI’s Iran Corporate Violations and Penalties Tracker, please click here.

UANI has consistently advocated for companies to adopt enhanced due diligence measures such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Customer’s Customer (KYCC) to avoid joining the long SDN list of violators. Existing KYC standards are currently used to protect businesses from engaging directly with sanctioned individuals and entities. But ties to Iranian sanctioned entities may still occur indirectly, putting businesses at significant risk of reputational damage. In particular, customers’ customers may be engaging in questionable or unlawful behavior, including money laundering, terror financing and sanctions evasion.

UANI’s Iran Corporate Violations and Penalties (CVP) Tracker and its Iran Business Registry (IBR), a continuously updated resource of all international Iran business and trade activity, are unique resources for the public and policymakers that help shape the conversation about the risks of doing business with Iran and inform the debate over future measures that can be enacted.

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