117. I hold a specific license to sell agricultural goods, medicine, or medical devices to Iran. The general license at section 560.532(a)(4) of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) authorizes me to accept a letter of credit issued by an Iranian financial institution whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to the ITSR (i.e., an Iranian financial institution that is not listed on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List)). The general license, however, also states that a U.S. financial institution may not advise, confirm, or otherwise deal in that credit. How am I supposed to know if/when a letter of credit has been issued for my sale and how do I get paid? My bank accounts are all at U.S. financial institutions.
This language is in the general license at section 560.532(a)(4) of the ITSR because it is contrary to U.S. foreign policy to allow U.S. financial institutions to maintain active correspondent relationships with Iranian banks. The language, however, does not preclude a U.S. financial institution or an entity owned or controlled by a United States Person and established or maintained outside the United States ("U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity") from being a second advising bank (i.e. receiving and passing forward advice from a third-country bank that the credit has been issued), nor does it preclude the U.S. financial institution or a U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity from receiving funds in payment for the licensed export from a third-country bank. You should also note that the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations authorize U.S. financial institutions and U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entities to directly advise or confirm letters of credit issued by third-country banks for authorized shipments. The third-country bank may not be an overseas branch of a U.S. financial institution, a U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity, an Iranian financial institution, or the Government of Iran, unless otherwise authorized by OFAC. In none of these circumstances, however, may there be any direct or indirect involvement of entities the property and interests in property of which have been blocked under any of the programs administered by OFAC, except for persons whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to Executive Order 13599 and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. [01-13-2017]
[OCT-17-2020 UPDATE: "Iranian financial institutions whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to the ITSR" should be amended to account for the blocking of such entities pursuant to both EO 13599 and EO 13902 (see Comment on the Designation of the Iranian Financial Sector Pursuant to EO 13902)].
The GL contains the following language:
(4) Letter of credit issued by an Iranian financial institution whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to this part. Such letters of credit must be initially advised, confirmed, or otherwise dealt in by a third-country financial institution that is not a United States person, an entity owned or controlled by a United States person and established or maintained outside the United States, an Iranian financial institution, or the Government of Iran before it is advised, confirmed, or dealt in by a U.S. financial institution or a financial institution that is an entity owned or controlled by a United States person and established or maintained outside the United States.