Latest news with #E.O
Scoop
23-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Sanctioning A Liquified Petroleum Gas Shipping Network To Further Pressure Iran
TAMMY BRUCE, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON APRIL 22, 2025 Today, the United States is sanctioning Iranian national Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh and his liquified petroleum gas (LPG) shipping network for exporting hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian LPG and crude oil to foreign markets. This revenue funds Iran's malign behavior, particularly the regime's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for terrorist proxies. Iranian companies continually adapt their networks to evade sanctions and sell to foreign customers. The United States is committed to sanctioning Iranian firms that fund the regime's destabilizing conduct. The Trump Administration will vigorously enforce all U.S. sanctions on Iran as part of its maximum pressure campaign. So long as Iran attempts to generate oil revenues to fund its subversive activities, the United States will hold accountable both Iran and all its partners in sanctions evasion. Today's action is being taken pursuant to President Trump's maximum pressure campaign and E.O. 13902, which targets those operating in certain sectors of the Iranian economy. On October 11, 2024, the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determined that section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 13902 shall apply to the petroleum and petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy, which allows Treasury to target a broader range of activities relating to Iran's trade in petroleum and petrochemical products. For more information, today's designation can be found on the Treasury's Press Releases.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pahalgam terror attack: What we know about The Resistance Front and main plotter Saifullah Khalid
NEW DELHI: The Resistance Front ( TRF ), a Pakistan-backed terror outfit , has claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack in Jammu and Kashmir 's Pahalgam region, which killed 28 people. The attack has sent shockwaves through the region just weeks ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, a period when Jammu and Kashmir typically sees a surge in tourist activity. "More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK). These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then being to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally," the TRF said. LeT's top commander Saifullah Kasuri, alias Khalid, is suspected to be one of the plotters, according to an intelligence assessment. The role of two Rawalkot-based Lashkar commanders, one of whom is Abu Musa, is also under scrutiny, sources said. Who is Saifullah Khalid? Saifullah Kasuri (Khalid) was designated for acting for or on behalf of LeT. Khalid was introduced as the President of the MML and spoke about the party's formation, aims, and objectives, during an August 8, 2017 press conference, according to the US Treasury. Khalid is also the head of LeT's Peshawar headquarters, and served on Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD)'s Coordination Committee for Central Punjab Province. JuD was designated by the Department of State as an alias of LeT pursuant to E.O. 13224 in April 2016, and was added to the United Nations 1267/1988 Sanctions list as an alias of LeT in December 2008. What is The Resistance Front? The Resistance Front (TRF) is a relatively new yet deadly terrorist outfit that emerged in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Established in 2019, TRF orchestrated several terrorist incidents, including the November 26 Mumbai attacks. The government proscribed TRF last year for its involvement in online recruitment of youth for terrorist activities , facilitating infiltration of terrorists, and coordinating weapons and narcotics smuggling from Pakistan into J&K. A notification issued by the MHA said, 'The Resistance Front came into existence in the year 2019 as a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba , a proscribed terrorist organisation listed at serial number 5 of the first schedule under the UAPA.' The organisation's commander, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, has been classified as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967. TRF has executed numerous assaults on civilians, security personnel, and political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence reports indicate that Pakistani state entities, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), provide support to maintain regional instability. History of violence The initial emergence of TRF was noted following an extended four-day armed confrontation near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara's Keran Sector, beginning April 1, 2020. Police records indicate that five infiltrators from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) caught security forces off guard by occupying a difficult-to-access area in Keran, maintaining their position for over five days in deep snow. These highly trained and determined militants were neutralised only after the Army's special forces engaged in a prolonged battle. The operation resulted in the loss of five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO). In a separate incident, militants attacked a construction site in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir in October 2024, resulting in the deaths of a local doctor and six migrant labourers. The banned organisation TRF took responsibility for this Ganderbal incident as well. Each narrative and propaganda from TRF aims to obstruct initiatives for Kashmir's integration with India. Following their recent attacks, TRF released a 'Strategy Note' stating their intention to target and prevent non-local business ventures and oppose the issuance of domicile certificates to outsiders, according to the ORF. Previously, on May 30, 2019, TRF had announced—"We openly declare that any Indian who comes with the intention to settle in Kashmir will be treated as an agent of RSS and not a civilian, and will be dealt with appropriately." Operating under the slogan 'Resistance till Victory', TRF maintains a focused agenda of opposing Kashmir's development whilst sustaining their separatist objectives.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US sanctions 6 Beijing, Hong Kong authorities for 'undermining' the island region's autonomy
The State Department sanctioned six Beijing and Hong Kong authorities who Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "have engaged in actions or policies that have degraded the autonomy of Hong Kong, including in connection with transnational repression targeting individuals residing in the United States." Rubio announced Monday that the actions "demonstrate the Trump Administration's commitment to hold to account those respondsible for depriving people in Hong Kong of protected rights and freedoms or who commit acts of transnational repression on U.S. soil or against U.S. persons." Those sanctioned include Sonny Chi Kwong Au – the Secretary-General for the Committee for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong – and Raymond Chak Yee Siu, the Police Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Force. The other four sanctioned were identified as Dong Jingwei, Dick Chung Chun Wong, Margaret Wing Lan Chiu and Paul Ting Kwok Lam. "Beijing and Hong Kong officials have used Hong Kong national security laws extraterritorially to intimidate, silence, and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who were forced to flee overseas, including a U.S. citizen and four other U.S. residents," the State Department said. 45 Pro-democracy Hong Kong Activists Sentenced To Up To 10 Years In Prison Under China-backed Law Lam, according to the State Department, "is the Secretary for Justice, Hong Kong in the Regional Government Ministers category, and has been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the National Security Law." Read On The Fox News App Last year, Human Rights Watch said the "Safeguarding National Security Ordinance punishes peaceful speech and civil society activism with heavy prison sentences, expands police powers, and weakens due process rights." Hong Kong Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Controversial Security Law, Granting Government Power To Curb Dissent "As a result of today's sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 13936, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)," the State Department said. "Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked," it continued. "All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt from U.S. sanctions," according to the State Department. "These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person." Fox News' Nick Kalman contributed to this article source: US sanctions 6 Beijing, Hong Kong authorities for 'undermining' the island region's autonomy
Fox News
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
US sanctions 6 Beijing, Hong Kong authorities for 'undermining' the island region's autonomy
The State Department sanctioned six Beijing and Hong Kong authorities who Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "have engaged in actions or policies that have degraded the autonomy of Hong Kong, including in connection with transnational repression targeting individuals residing in the United States." Rubio announced Monday that the actions "demonstrate the Trump Administration's commitment to hold to account those respondsible for depriving people in Hong Kong of protected rights and freedoms or who commit acts of transnational repression on U.S. soil or against U.S. persons." Those sanctioned include Sonny Chi Kwong Au – the Secretary-General for the Committee for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong – and Raymond Chak Yee Siu, the Police Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Force. The other four sanctioned were identified as Dong Jingwei, Dick Chung Chun Wong, Margaret Wing Lan Chiu and Paul Ting Kwok Lam. "Beijing and Hong Kong officials have used Hong Kong national security laws extraterritorially to intimidate, silence, and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who were forced to flee overseas, including a U.S. citizen and four other U.S. residents," the State Department said. Lam, according to the State Department, "is the Secretary for Justice, Hong Kong in the Regional Government Ministers category, and has been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the National Security Law." Last year, Human Rights Watch said the "Safeguarding National Security Ordinance punishes peaceful speech and civil society activism with heavy prison sentences, expands police powers, and weakens due process rights." "As a result of today's sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 13936, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)," the State Department said. "Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked," it continued. "All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt from U.S. sanctions," according to the State Department. "These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person."
Yemen Online
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yemen Online
Yemen : USNI Report to Congress on Houthi Terrorism Designation
On January 22, 2025, President Donald Trump signed executive order (E.O.) 14175 initiating a process for the redesignation of the Yemeni Shia Islamist group Ansar Allah (Arabic for 'the Partisans of God'), commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). On March 4, Secretary of State Marco Rubio redesignated Ansar Allah as an FTO. The FTO designation authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to impose asset freezing sanctions on the organization and triggers the application of 18 U.S.C. §3229B, which criminalizes the provision of material support to designated FTOs. E.O. 14175 further outlined a process requiring a review of some U.S. assistance programs in Yemen and directed the termination 'as appropriate' of certain U.S.-funded projects, grants, and contracts with entities found to have made payments to Houthi entities or insufficiently documented Houthi abuses (see below). The U.S. Department of the Treasury has revised general licenses providing some exceptions for transactions involving the Houthis. Exceptions for transactions involving the Houthis for trade in refined petroleum products and telecommunications have been made more restrictive. The Houthis have controlled most of northern Yemen since 2015. Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea after October 2023 disrupted regional security and global maritime commerce. The group receives material support from Iran and Russia and has attacked Israel, U.S. vessels, and (before October 2023) Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). E.O. 14175 and the President's statement say that U.S. policy is to cooperate with partners to 'eliminate' Houthi capabilities and operations, as well as to deprive the Houthis of resources. The Administration has not specified what additional actions, resources, or authorities, if any, may be used to achieve those ends. President Trump previously designated the group as both an FTO and an entity subject to sanctions under the 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' (SDGT) program in January 2021. President Biden revoked both designations, citing concerns that they could impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance or jeopardize efforts to promote dialogue aimed at establishing ceasefire in the war in Yemen. In February 2024, the Biden Administration redesignated the Houthis as an SDGT, citing 'unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.' Congress and Yemen. Since 2015, Congress has considered the effects of conflict and sanctions on regional security and humanitarian conditions in Yemen. Congress has provided resources and authorities to support U.S. policy, including with additional defense funding in 2024 to support U.S. regional deterrence operations. In the 119th Congress, several proposals would authorize sanctions on the Houthis or direct the executive branch to designate the Houthis as an FTO (H.R. 1848, S. 70, and S. 159). The Trump Administration has not said whether it intends to request additional funds or authorities from Congress in support of its wider Yemen policy. The 119th Congress may seek additional information from the Administration concerning its policy toward Yemen and the Houthis, its expectations about the reactions and intentions of Yemeni and other international actors, its projections of the benefits and costs of different options, and its plans with regard to U.S. humanitarian assistance in Yemen. Congress may consider opportunities to influence U.S. policy toward Yemen, including via authorization and appropriations legislation, with regard to U.S. sanctions, diplomacy, assistance programs, and military operations. Policy Context Political-Military Developments. More than 100 Houthi attacks on Israel and on international shipping and U.S. and partner naval vessels in the Red Sea region occurred from October 2023 to January 2025, with the Houthis claiming their attacks were intended to support Palestinians and secure an end to Israeli operations against the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group and U.S.-designated FTO Hamas. In January 2025, Yemen's representative to the United Nations (UN) rejected Houthi justifications. Yemen's internationally recognized government has welcomed the Trump Administration's redesignation of the Houthis as an FTO. Leaders of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) also welcomed the U.S. decision and reiterated a call for joint international-Yemeni military operations to counter the Houthis and reduce the area under their control. The STC has received military aid from the UAE and seeks to reestablish southern Yemen as a separate state, which it was prior to 1990. In a September 2024 report, the United Nations panel of experts on Yemen described 'the transformation of the Houthis from a localized armed group with limited capabilities to a powerful military organization, extending their operational capabilities well beyond the territories under their control.' The panel attributed the Houthis' evolution to 'unprecedented' transfers of material support from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Iraqi armed groups. U.S. officials have condemned Houthi attacks and the Houthis' detention of Yemenis with ties to UN or U.S. government entities and aid organization. U.S. sanctions have been levied against additional Houthi operatives and supporters. U.S. military strikes have targeted Houthi weapons and related facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen since January 2024, including a January 8, 2025 strike targeting two underground storage facilities.
