Counter Narcotics, Counter Terrorism, Cuba-related, and Iran-related Designations; Issuance of Russia-related General License; Issuance of Associated Frequently Asked Questions
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Key facts
Source:US Treasury OFAC (U.S. Treasury, public domain)
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced several updates to its sanctions programs, including new designations and a new general license. The Treasury issued Russia-related General License 131I, which permits specific transactions related to the sale of Lukoil International GmbH and associated maintenance activities. Additionally, OFAC updated several Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Russia and Cuba-related regulations.
The Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List was expanded to include several individuals from Turkey, Ecuador, and Cuba. Among the new designations are Mehmet Acur, Mehmet Akyuz, Vasfi Akyuz, Emrah Ayaz, Feyyad Karasalih, Halil Ibrahim Kacmaz, and Onder Dede, all of whom were sanctioned for links to Hizballah or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-Qods Force.
The update also targeted individuals involved in narcotics trafficking and Cuba-related sanctions. Ecuador nationals Jimmy Leonidas Alarcon Holguin, Milton Edixson Martinez Mendoza, Edwar Alexis Mero Arcentales, Roberth Alfonso Mero Arcentales, and Byron Aladino Mero Bermello were designated under programs targeting illicit drug trafficking, with links noted to organizations such as Los Lobos and Los Choneros. Furthermore, Fernando Leonidas Gonzalez Llort and Leima Martinez Freire were added to the list under Cuba-related sanctions for their connections to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples.
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Disclaimer. Strait Up Maritime aggregates and summarises sanctions-related news from public-domain government sources (US Treasury OFAC, UK OFSI). Summaries are generated automatically by AI and may contain inaccuracies. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any content on this page. Strait Up Maritime is a journalism and information service — it is not a substitute for legal counsel, regulatory advice, or official sanctions verification. Use of this content is governed by our Terms of Use and News Aggregation Policy.